4 detailed A4 pages of notes on the conformity topic in social influence for AQA A-Level Psychology. Includes definitions and explanations of conformity, conforming to majority influence (Asch’s study) variables affecting conformity and conformity to social roles (Zimbardo’s study.) - includes ...
Conformity
Definition of conformity - The tendency to change our behaviour or attitude in response to the influence of others or social pressure
Types of Conformity (AO1) Evaluation of Explanations for Conformity (AO3)
Compliance Strengths
• Conforming to the group publicly, but privately disagrees • Asch (1955) found in the post-experiment debrief the participants
• Most superficial type of conformity who conformed to the majority either didn’t want to be singled out
• Normative Social Influence and part of the minority (NSI) and others questioned whether they
• Temporary, shallow were truly correct so conformed to the majority as they assumed they
were correct (ISI); this provides evidence for both explanations of
Identification conformity
• Conforming to the group publicly and privately to ‘fit in,’ away from the group • Schultz et al (2008) found in a hotel, 75% of guests would reuse their
their public and private view changes towels when exposed to a normative message; this supports NSI and
• Deeper type of conformity the desire to fit in with their reference group
• Person identifies with the group, developing a sense of group membership Weaknesses
• Elements of both compliance and internalisation
• Normative Social Influence • Studies have shown NSI and ISI do not affect everyone in the same
• Somewhat temporary way. Asch (1955) found students were less conformist (28%) than
other participants (37%) Perrin & Spencer (1980) found science and
Internalisation engineering students presented very little conformity; this weakens
the idea of ISI as it does not apply to everyone in the same way
• Conforming to group’s views permanently and changes their own beliefs with
• McGhee & Teevan (1967) found students in need of high affiliation
and away from the group
were more likely to conform; this weakens the concept of NSI as the
• Acceptance of the view is public and private; they believe the group is right
desire to be liked underlies conformity for some people more than
• Deepest level of conformity / True conformity
others
• Permanent
• Informational social influence
Explanations for conformity (AO1) Example Questions – Definitions of Conformity
Informational Social influence (ISI) Normative Social Influence (NSI) 1. What is meant by normative social
influence? (2 marks)
• The desire to be right • The desire to be liked
2. Explain what is meant by internalisation
• Look to others who seem to be correct and follow • Humans feel the need to fit in and fear rejection (3 marks)
• ISI is likely to occur in new or ambiguous situations • Temporary change in behaviour 3. Outline and evaluate explanations for
• Permanent change in behaviour • NSI is likely to lead to compliance conformity (8 marks)
• ISI is likely to lead to internalisation
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