AQA A Level Psychology Topic Companion: Social Influence

1. Types of Conformity

1.1 Definition

• Conformity is a type of social influence where an individual changes their behavior, attitudes, or beliefs in response to real or imagined group pressure.

1.2 Types of Conformity

• Compliance

  • Definition: Publicly changing behavior to fit in with the group while privately maintaining original beliefs.

  • Example: Agreeing with group decisions but personally disagreeing.

• Identification

  • Definition: Changing behavior and private beliefs in the presence of a group but reverting when alone.

  • Example: Adopting a group's stance on issues while in their presence, but not necessarily when away from them.

• Internalisation

  • Definition: Truly adopting the beliefs or behaviors of a group both publicly and privately, leading to a long-term change.

  • Example: Changing religious beliefs because of group influence and continuing even when away from the group.

2. Explanations for Conformity

2.1 Normative Social Influence (NSI)

• Definition: Conforming to be accepted or liked by a group, often resulting in compliance or identification.

• Characteristics: Individuals may not change their private beliefs but will conform publicly to fit in.

2.2 Informational Social Influence (ISI)

• Definition: Conforming to gain accurate information or because one believes others are correct, often leading to internalisation.

• Characteristics: Involves changing both public behaviors and private beliefs, particularly under ambiguous situations.

3. Asch’s Research on Conformity

3.1 Original Study (1951)

• Aim: To investigate how social pressure from a majority affects individual conformity.

• Method: Used a line-judgment task with 123 male participants in groups with confederates who provided incorrect answers.

• Results: Found that participants conformed on 32% of critical trials, with 74% conforming at least once.

3.2 Variations of Asch's Research

• Group Size:

  • Conformity peaked sharply with 3 confederates; more than this did not significantly increase conformity.

• Unanimity:

  • When given social support, conformity rates dropped significantly.

• Task Difficulty:

  • Made the task more difficult increased conformity rates, suggesting ISI was at play.

4. Resisting Social Influence

4.1 Social Support

• Definition: The presence of someone who shares the same viewpoint reduces pressure to conform or obey.

• Studies: Asch's variations showed that with a dissenter, conformity decreased significantly. Milgram's study showed that having allies who disobey reduced obedience significantly as well.

4.2 Locus of Control (LoC)

• Definition: Refers to how much control individuals believe they have over their life events.

• Types:

  • Internal LoC: High belief in personal control – associated with resistance to social influence.

  • External LoC: Belief in external control – typically more conforming and obedient.

• Supportive Research: Studies show those with an internal LoC are less likely to conform and obey.

5. Minority Influence

5.1 Key Factors

• Consistency: A consistent minority is more persuasive and can lead to deeper processing of issues.

• Commitment: Risky behavior demonstrates commitment and may lead the majority to take the minority viewpoint seriously (augmentation principle).

• Flexibility: Minorities that show some willingness to compromise are more successful than rigid minorities.

5.2 Key Studies

• Moscovici (1969): Demonstrated that consistency in minority viewpoints significantly changed majority opinions in a color perception task.

• Nemeth (1986): Suggested flexibility is crucial, showing that compromising minorities can effectively influence the majority.

6. Social Change

• Processes identified that lead to social change include:

  • Consistency in views leads to credibility.

  • Deeper Processing helps challenge existing norms.

  • Drawing Attention raises awareness.

  • Augmentation Principle based on personal sacrifice influences the majority's opinion.

  • The Snowball Effect: As more individuals adopt an opinion, the more likely the majority is to change.

• Real-world examples include civil rights movements and the suffragettes who persisted despite opposition, illustrating these principles effectively.

7. Evaluation of Influence on Social Change

• Social Influence Research: Provides insight, but some studies may lack ecological validity due to their artificial settings.

• Generalizability of Findings: Often based on specific demographic samples, limiting broader application – particularly gender bias in research.

• Contradicting Evidence: Some studies show that minority influence may not always lead to social change, as stereotypes about minorities can deter majority adoption of their views.