Lecture Notes: Conformity and Social Influence

Introduction to Conformity

• General stereotype of non-conformists vs. conformists as "sheep."
• Question posed on why people conform and how it relates to social pressure.

Solomon Asch's Experiment

• Asch’s research showed that 3/4 of participants conformed at least once by giving a wrong answer due to social pressure.
• Participants often conformed to avoid embarrassment, which supports the concept of normative social influence.

Types of Conformity

Compliance

• Definition: Changing behavior due to pressure from others without changing private beliefs.
• Motivation: Desire for positive reactions and avoiding disapproval.
• Example: Participating in social media trends to fit in.

Identification

• Definition: Adopting behaviors to be associated with a group.
• Motivation: Desire to create or strengthen a social identity.
• Example: Dressing or acting in a certain way to fit in with a group.

Internalization

• Definition: Truly adopting the beliefs and norms of a group.
• Motivation: Belief that the group's norms are correct or superior.
• Example: Adopting environmental practices after being convinced by a group.

Explanations for Conformity

Normative Social Influence (NSI)

• Definition: Conforming due to fear of social rejection or desire for acceptance.
• Outcome: Results in compliance; public agreement without private belief change.
• Example: Teen peer pressure to engage in risky behavior.

Informational Social Influence (ISI)

• Definition: Conforming due to belief that the group has more knowledge.
• Outcome: Driven by desire to make correct choices; often in ambiguous situations.
• Example: Following others in emergencies assuming they know the safest actions.

Variations and Evaluations of Asch's Experiment

Variables Affecting Conformity

• Group Size: Conformity increases with group size but decreases slightly with very large groups.
• Unanimity: Presence of an ally reduces conformity.
• Task Difficulty: Increased ambiguity leads to higher conformity due to ISI.

Evaluations

• Strengths: High control over variables, supports NSI explanation.
• Criticisms: Lacks temporal and cultural validity; not reflective of real-life situations.

Additional Concepts

Dispositional Explanations

• Affiliator Personality: Need for social acceptance increases conformity.
• Locus of Control: Internal locus correlates with less conformity.

Real-World Application

• Situational factors vs. dispositional factors in conformity.
• Real-world conformity usually involves both NSI and ISI.

Conclusion

• Highlight the importance of understanding social influences.
• Acknowledge contributors and resources available for further study.