All possible social influence essay questions you could be asked, planned with points and evaluation both from the textbook and using wider knowledge to gain an A*/A
Outline and evaluate Asch’s research into conformity
AO1
- Asch’s baseline procedure
- 123 male pps took part in a visual comparison task
- Groups of 7-9 – one pp and the rest were confederate
- Comparing three lines and answers were given out loud
- 6 neutral trials – confederates gave the correct answer
- 12 critical trials – confederates gave the wrong answer
- 75% of pps conformed at least once and 5% conformed every time
- They conformed due to distortion of judgement, perception, and
action
- He also investigates three variables --- group size, unanimity, and
task difficulty
AO3
LIMITATION – LOW LEVELS OF ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
- Participants knew they were in the experiment
- Gone along with what they believed the aims were
- Task of identifying lines was relatively trivial – no real reason to
conform
- Didn’t resemble groups that we experience in everyday life
- Findings do not generalise to real-world situations
LIMITATION – DOES NOT CONSIDER INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
- May not be a consistent theory
- Perlin and Spencer carried out similar experiment in 1981 using
maths, chemistry, and engineering students
- No one conformed
- Asch’s experiment lacks temporal validity
- Conformity rates in the 1950s may not provide and accurate
reflection of conformity in modern times
STRENGTH – LAB EXPERIMENT
- Provided objective, measurable data which has a clear IV and DV
- Less chance of getting confounding variables so the findings from
the study have a high internal validity
- We can infer cause and effect
- Desire leads to conformity even when the majority if clearly wrong
LIMITATION – ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE AMERICAN MALES
- Women may be more conformist because they are more concerned
about social relationship
- Collectivist cultures have higher conformity rates
- Asch’s findings tell us little about conformity in women and people
from some cultures as the study has a low population validity
, Outline and evaluate the explanations of conformity
AO1
- Informational social influence is an explanation of conformity that
says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it
is correct. We accept it because we want to be correct as well. This
may lead to internalisation
- normative social influence is an explanation of conformity that says
we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to gain
social approval and be liked. This may lead to compliance.
AO3
STENGTH OF NSI – REAL LIFE APPLICATIONS
- in 2008 Shultz found that we are able to change the behaviour of
hotel guests by using printed messages encouraging them to save
energy. The messages that suggested that other guests were using
fewer bath towels were most successful
- This provides evidence and research supporting the role of
normative social influence showing real life application and the
influence of people's opinions on others
- A desire to be accepted and avoid rejection
STENGHTH OF ISI – EVIDENCE
- the Jellybean experiment demonstrates the concept of conformity
- Participants were asked to estimate the amount of Jelly beans in a
jar and then to do the same with the group
- Results showed that when estimating in groups all the estimates
were roughly the same showing the influence of people's opinions
and behaviour on others
- Provides evidence that theory of information or social influence
making it more valid
LIMITATION OF NSI – INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
- Mcgnee and Tevan found that students with a high need for
affiliation were more likely to conform however those who are less
concerned about wanting to relate to others were least likely to
conform
- This shows that NSI underlines conformity for some people more
than it does for others
- There are individual differences in conformity that cannot be fully
explained by one general theory of situational pressures
Outline and evaluate Zimbardo’s research into conformity
AO1
- A mock prison was built in the basement of Stanford university
- Students were randomly assigned the social roles of guard or
prisoner
- Prisoners were arrested from their homes blindfolded stripped
deloused and issued with numbers and prisoner uniforms
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