Here is the link to the set on Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/_7ehhdc?x=1jqt&i=l5y93
The password for access is: Asch51
Below, I have also included the cards as text to provide a note format option
Hope you find this useful and good luck!
Key:
SI = social influence NSI = Normative Social Influence
EV. = evaluation ISI = Informative Social Influence
Beh. = behaviour
Obsv. = observation
Notes:
3 types of conformity
- Compliance, identification and internalisation
Conformity
Types = compliance, identification and internalisation
Explanations = NSI and ISI
Factors = Group size, unanimity and task difficulty
Compliance
- When public beh. is changed but not their private beliefs. (superficial) Usually due to NSI
Identification
- When public beh. and private beliefs are changed but the private beliefs are only changed when with
a particular group or when fulfilling a role (moderate). Usually due to NSI
Internalisation
- When public beh. and provate beliefs are changed. (deep) You accept the majority's views as your
own. Usually due to ISI
The dual process dependency model identifies two reasons for conformity
- the desire to be liked (normative social influence) and the desire to be right (informational social
influence)
, Normative social influence
- Where the individual goes along with the majority view for fear of isolation or rejection. This is
usually associated with compliance and identification
Informational social influence
- When the individual has a desire to be correct and so accepts any new information in order to do so.
This conformity often occurs in ambiguous or novel situations where the 'right' way to behave is
unclear. This is usually associated with internalisation as you conform for cognitive reasons.
Asch, 1951
•Criticised Sherif's 1935 study of arguing that in order to investigate informative social influence
there must be a blatant correct answer so no other variables could be influential.
•For his experiment a naïve participant was placed with 7 confederates, who had agreed their answers
in advance. In turn, each person had to say out loud which line (A, B or C) was most like the target
line in length.
•The findings showed that 75% of the participants conformed on at least one critical trial to the
majority view, providing an obviously incorrect answer.
•In the interview, after the experiment, most of the participants said that they knew their answers were
incorrect but went along with the group in order to fit in, because they thought they would be
ridiculed (NSI). Others said that they believed the others in the group to be better informed. (ISI).
Asch
EV.
- Perrin and Spencer (1980) who conducted a very similar experiment, showed a 0.25% level of
conformity. Therefore it lacks temporal validity and, thus, do not represent the idea of normative
social influence in this era. However thier sample consisted mainly of engineering and mathematic
students. Their knowledge and skillset may have influenced their likelihood of giving into informative
social influence.
+ Lab exp. high control over variables thus minimising the effects of extraneous variables
- Lacked ecological validity
- Sample only included male pps, low pop validity
Variations of Asch's study
- Group size, unanimity (size of majority) and task difficulty
Asch - group size
- •When there were 3 confederates conformity to wrong answers rose to 32%
•Addition of further confederates made no difference