AQA A Level Psychology复习笔记1.1.2 Explanations for Conformity
Explanations for Conformity
- Conformity is based on the two central human needs of needing to be right and needing to be liked
Informative social influence
- Usually occurs when the individual is unsure and lacks knowledge about a situation (which is usually new) and so looks to the group for guidance
- It can also occur when there is a crisis situation, a decision needs to be made quickly and we assume the group is more likely to be correct
- The individual accepts it because they want to be correct as well
- This type of conformity usually involves internalization
Normative social influence
- Usually occurs when the individual is uncertain about their beliefs and looks to someone who may be better informed
- It also occurs because the individual wants to fit in with the group and not be rejected by them
- The individual accepts it because they want to gain the social approval of the group
- This type of conformity usually involves compliance
Evaluation of explanations of conformity
Research support for informational social influence
- Lucas et al (2006):
- Findings: Participants conformed more when the math problems were difficult compared to when math problems were considered easier due to students being ambiguous about the answer and not wanting to appear wrong
Research support for normative social influence
- Asch (1951):
- Findings: Participants claimed they gave the wrong answer, even when they knew it was wrong as they felt self-conscious and did not want to go against the group and gain disapproval
However:
- It is often difficult to establish if it is Informational or Normative Social Influence within research studies as well as in real life:
- This shows it is difficult to separate the two and that both processes work together in most real-world situations
- Another limitation is that normative social influence does not predict conformity in every case and therefore does not take into account individual differences
- It cannot explain why some people refuse to conform
Exam Tip
When outlining and discussing the explanations for conformity, ensure you give a clear definition and explanation for each, naming them within your answer to explain them. You should always write out the whole name (Normative Social Influence and Informational Social Influence) before abbreviating them (NSI and ISI), to ensure you are clear to the examiner. Try to use examples where possible as this will clarify your understanding of the concepts to the examiner
When evaluating the types of conformity, you should be clear on the research used and what this shows. If you can use the researcher's name, that is good but the research needs to be accurately explained. You must also mention that they work together
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