Social influence

What is conformity?

A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions, due to a perceived or real pressure from a certain group of people or person.

What is internalisation?

A deep type of conformity that occurs when a person genuinely accepts the group norms, which results in a private and a public change of opinions and behaviour. We take on the majority view because we accept it as correct, so often leads to a permanent change because the ideas become embedded within a person, and the opinions persist even when not in the presence of the group.

What is compliance?

A superficial and temporary type of conformity where outwardly/ publicly we go along with the group’s opinions, but privately disagree with it , so this means the particular opinion/behaviour only lasts as long as the group is there.

Who came up with the two process theory of conformity?

Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

What is Informational Social influence (ISI)

An explanation of conformity stating we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it to be correct, and we accept it because we want to appear correct. Can lead to internalisation. Likely to happen in situations that are new to a person, situations with ambiguity, or crisis situations where quick decisions have to be made. Cognitive process

What is Normative social influence (NSI)

An explanation of conformity suggesting we agree with the opinions of the majority because we want to be liked, gain social approval and be accepted - emotional process. This can lead to compliance. Most likely to occur in situations where rejection is a concern, or in stressful situations where people have a greater need for social support.

What research support is there for ISI ( e.v strength)?

Lucas et al (2006) asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were easy or more difficult. There was greater conformity to incorrect answers when they difficult rather than when they were easy. This shows that people conform in situations where they feel they don’t know the answer. We look to others and assume they must be right.

Why is individual differences in ISI a weakness of it?

ISI does not affect everyone in the same way. E.g. Asch found that students were less conformist (28%) than other participants (37%). Perrin and Spencer also did a study that found very little conformity.

What research support is there for NSI (e.v strength)?

Asch found that many of his participants went along with a clearly wrong answer just because other people did. When asked why, they said they felt self conscious giving the wrong answer and were afraid of disapproval. When he repeated the test but getting people to write answers down conformity rates fell by 12.5%.

Why are individual differences in NSI a weakness of it?

Research has shown that NSI does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way. For example, people less concerned with being liked are less affected by NSI than those who care more about being liked (called nAffiliators). These people have a greater need for affiliation, and more likely to conform. This shows that desire to be liked underlies conformity for some people more than others.

How do ISI and NSI work together?

The two process theory suggests that conformity is either due to NSI or ISI, but in reality it is due to a combo of both. For example in the Asch study when there is another giving the same correct answer conformity reduces, and this could be due to NSI (social support) or ISI (alternative info source). Shows that it isn’t always possible to be sure whether NSI or ISI is at work - this is true in lab studies and even more so in real life. This casts doubt over whether the two processes operate independently.