Outline and evaluate research into explanations of conformity. (16 marks)
Conformity is a change in a person behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined
pressure from a person or group of people. There are 3 ways people may conform.
Internalisation (deepest form of conformity) is when an individual genuinely accepts and
believes a groups norm. This result in a private and public change of opinions/behaviour and
is likely to be permanents and persist even if other groups members are absent. Whereas as
identification, is when an individual conforms to behaviours of a group, because the
individual value something about the group. Views are publicly changed, privately they may
behave differently. Compliance (lowest level of conformity) is when a person may publicly
show themselves go along with the behaviour of a group to fit in and avoid rejection,
temporary as privately maintaining their own opinion.
There are two explanations of conformity, informational social influence (ISI) and normative
social influence (NSI). ISI, is about who has better information you or the group. Its most
likely to occur in situations you are new to and have little knowledge about, so you tend to
conform to a group through ISI as you feel they are most likely to be right. It is a cognitive
process as you genuinely want to be right. E.g you are in class and told to write answer on
board, but you do not know the answer so answer in the same fashion as the majority of the
group, explains why internalisation happens. Whereas NSI is based on norms, i.e what is
normal for a group and we agree with opinions of the majority as we want to fit in and avoid
rejection. Its most likely to occur when an individual is with stranger and fears being
rejected and is emotional rather than cognitive as people prefer social approval rather than
rejection. It explains why compliance happens.
A strength of ISI is there is research support for it. For example, Lucas et al asked students to
answer maths questions that were easy or difficult. They found there was greater
conformity to incorrect answers when the problems were difficult. This was true for
students who rated their maths skills as poor. Therefore, this study shows that people
conform in situations where they do not know the answer as suggested by ISI.
A limitation of ISI is there are individual differences. For example, Ash found that students
were less conformist 28% than other ppts 37%. Therefore, this difference is a limitation as it
shows not everyone has the desire to be right. It could be that the younger generation feels
more expressive in their views and opinions regardless if they are different.
A strength of NSI is there is research to support the explanation as to why people conform.
For example, Asch’s (1951) research demonstrates how individuals will conform with the
majority on an unambiguous line comparison test (even when they know their response is
incorrect) in order to be liked or in an attempt to avoid standing out from the group.
Therefore, this is a strength because it shows that the normative social influence
explanation is a valid assumption as to why people conform with the majority (i.e. for group
approval).
A limitation of NSI is there is individual differences. For example, McGee and Teevan found
that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform. An NAffiliator are
individuals who have a greater need for social relationships. Therefore, this is a limitation as
Conformity is a change in a person behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined
pressure from a person or group of people. There are 3 ways people may conform.
Internalisation (deepest form of conformity) is when an individual genuinely accepts and
believes a groups norm. This result in a private and public change of opinions/behaviour and
is likely to be permanents and persist even if other groups members are absent. Whereas as
identification, is when an individual conforms to behaviours of a group, because the
individual value something about the group. Views are publicly changed, privately they may
behave differently. Compliance (lowest level of conformity) is when a person may publicly
show themselves go along with the behaviour of a group to fit in and avoid rejection,
temporary as privately maintaining their own opinion.
There are two explanations of conformity, informational social influence (ISI) and normative
social influence (NSI). ISI, is about who has better information you or the group. Its most
likely to occur in situations you are new to and have little knowledge about, so you tend to
conform to a group through ISI as you feel they are most likely to be right. It is a cognitive
process as you genuinely want to be right. E.g you are in class and told to write answer on
board, but you do not know the answer so answer in the same fashion as the majority of the
group, explains why internalisation happens. Whereas NSI is based on norms, i.e what is
normal for a group and we agree with opinions of the majority as we want to fit in and avoid
rejection. Its most likely to occur when an individual is with stranger and fears being
rejected and is emotional rather than cognitive as people prefer social approval rather than
rejection. It explains why compliance happens.
A strength of ISI is there is research support for it. For example, Lucas et al asked students to
answer maths questions that were easy or difficult. They found there was greater
conformity to incorrect answers when the problems were difficult. This was true for
students who rated their maths skills as poor. Therefore, this study shows that people
conform in situations where they do not know the answer as suggested by ISI.
A limitation of ISI is there are individual differences. For example, Ash found that students
were less conformist 28% than other ppts 37%. Therefore, this difference is a limitation as it
shows not everyone has the desire to be right. It could be that the younger generation feels
more expressive in their views and opinions regardless if they are different.
A strength of NSI is there is research to support the explanation as to why people conform.
For example, Asch’s (1951) research demonstrates how individuals will conform with the
majority on an unambiguous line comparison test (even when they know their response is
incorrect) in order to be liked or in an attempt to avoid standing out from the group.
Therefore, this is a strength because it shows that the normative social influence
explanation is a valid assumption as to why people conform with the majority (i.e. for group
approval).
A limitation of NSI is there is individual differences. For example, McGee and Teevan found
that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform. An NAffiliator are
individuals who have a greater need for social relationships. Therefore, this is a limitation as
