Social Influence Essay Plans
Explanations of Conformity
AO1
Types and Explanations of Conformity:
- Compliance: Going along with group to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
- Internalisation: Going along with a group because you have accepted their views.
- Identifications: individual accepts attitudes and behaviours they have adopted as
true, but the purpose of adopting them is to be accepted as a member of the group.
- Normative Social Influence: fundamental need for companionship and fear of
censure and rejection. Important condition is that they need to be under
surveillance.
- Informational Social Influence: In ambiguous situations, look to individuals with the
information to make them feel more confident that their beliefs are correct.
AO3
Difficulty distinguishing compliance and Support for normative influence
internalisation
Shultz et al (2008)
Public and private acceptance Hotel guests exposed to normative
Acceptance happened in public yet message that 75% of guests reused
dissipates in private towels
May be complying in public, but Reduction in towel use by 25%,
only as a result of self-perception people change to fit with majority
Support for informational influence
Whittenbank and Henley (1996)
People exposed to negative info
about African Americans (led to
believe majority thought this)
Later reported negative beliefs
about a black individual. If unsure
we seek others opinions
, Variables affecting conformity
AO1
Asch (1956):
- 123 male US undergraduates, three lines of different lengths.
- Unambiguous task, 12 of 18 trials confederates instructed to give wrong answer.
- 32% conformed all trials, 75% at least once, half on 6 or more trials, control 1%
errors all times.
Variations of Asch study:
- Group size, 3 confederates increased conformity to 30%
- Unanimity of the group, with a supporting ally, conformity dropped 5.5%
- Difficulty of the task, length of lines made closer together, Lucas et al (2006)
difficulty moderated by self-efficacy, situational differences.
AO3
Could be unique findings, anti-communist May be a study of independent behaviour
Perin and Spencer 2/3 of trials participants stuck to
Only one majority conforming own judgement, despite majority
response in 396 trials Study showed we stick with what
Later used youth and their we believe in
probations officers, showed similar Shows independent behaviour
conformity to original study
Cultural differences in conformity
Smith et al (2006)
25% for individualistic cultures, 37%
for collectivist cultures
Higher conformity preferred in
collectivist cultures
Explanations of Conformity
AO1
Types and Explanations of Conformity:
- Compliance: Going along with group to gain approval or avoid disapproval.
- Internalisation: Going along with a group because you have accepted their views.
- Identifications: individual accepts attitudes and behaviours they have adopted as
true, but the purpose of adopting them is to be accepted as a member of the group.
- Normative Social Influence: fundamental need for companionship and fear of
censure and rejection. Important condition is that they need to be under
surveillance.
- Informational Social Influence: In ambiguous situations, look to individuals with the
information to make them feel more confident that their beliefs are correct.
AO3
Difficulty distinguishing compliance and Support for normative influence
internalisation
Shultz et al (2008)
Public and private acceptance Hotel guests exposed to normative
Acceptance happened in public yet message that 75% of guests reused
dissipates in private towels
May be complying in public, but Reduction in towel use by 25%,
only as a result of self-perception people change to fit with majority
Support for informational influence
Whittenbank and Henley (1996)
People exposed to negative info
about African Americans (led to
believe majority thought this)
Later reported negative beliefs
about a black individual. If unsure
we seek others opinions
, Variables affecting conformity
AO1
Asch (1956):
- 123 male US undergraduates, three lines of different lengths.
- Unambiguous task, 12 of 18 trials confederates instructed to give wrong answer.
- 32% conformed all trials, 75% at least once, half on 6 or more trials, control 1%
errors all times.
Variations of Asch study:
- Group size, 3 confederates increased conformity to 30%
- Unanimity of the group, with a supporting ally, conformity dropped 5.5%
- Difficulty of the task, length of lines made closer together, Lucas et al (2006)
difficulty moderated by self-efficacy, situational differences.
AO3
Could be unique findings, anti-communist May be a study of independent behaviour
Perin and Spencer 2/3 of trials participants stuck to
Only one majority conforming own judgement, despite majority
response in 396 trials Study showed we stick with what
Later used youth and their we believe in
probations officers, showed similar Shows independent behaviour
conformity to original study
Cultural differences in conformity
Smith et al (2006)
25% for individualistic cultures, 37%
for collectivist cultures
Higher conformity preferred in
collectivist cultures
