Social Psychology

Evaluating Research into ConformityLesson 2

• If you still tell your mum/dad you love them

• If you have ever farted in public

If you’ve ever ate a bogie

• If you have ever skived a lesson

If you have ever cheated in a test

If you have a tattoo

Social Psychology:Social Influence

Conformity - Majority InfluenceLON: Miss Norris

To define conformity

To understand different types of conformity

Conformity

When we adjust our behaviour or opinions to match more closely to the behaviours/opinions of a

majority of others.

Often referred to as majority influence

Eg Fashion Trends

Kelman (1958) Three types of conformity

Compliance – going along with a behaviour without agreeing with it

Internalisation – going along with a behaviour and believing it is correct

Identification – compliance and internalisation

Asch (1956) Line Experiment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF6oiNU-POw&feature=related

Culture and historical validity of Asch’s study

• P’s all men, all American• 1950’s – people were scared to be different (McCarthyism –

being accused of being disloyal)• Conformity may only be high when perceived costs of non

conformity are high• Perrin and Spencer (1980) conducted experiment on British

students in 1970s and found low levels of conformity• When conducted on probation participants and confederates

were probation officers, conformity was high like in Asch

Criticisms of Asch’s research • Possible that findings represent a specific culture at a specific time.

• USA 1950’s McCarthyism [anti communist – fear to be different] as in the 1950’s – people were scared to be different (McCarthyism – being accused of being disloyal)

• Example?

Perrin and Spencer (1980) Perrin and Spencer (1980) conducted experiment s on British students in 1970s and found low levels of conformity. They tried and repeated Asch’s research Asch in the UK late 70’s using science and engineering students. Initial study 1 confederate out of 396 pp mostly showing conformity.

Later study was repeated using officers and young offenders, found similar rates to Asch.

Conclusions

• Stable or unpredictable ‘The Asch Effect’Lalancette and Standing – modified method made stimuli more ambiguous• Found no conformity• Asch effect is unpredictable phenomenom?• Conformity or independence?• Only 1/3 of trials produced conformity. • Asch – humans are not conformist but show independent

behaviour

Further research

Nicholson et al (1985)• Found similar results to Asch, UK students

claimed that the differences with Perrin & Spencer due to national cohesion arising from the Falklands War.

Further Research

• Using a modified method with increased ambiguity and found no conformity was observed.

• SHOWING -> the ‘Asch Effect’ appeared to be unpredictable phenomena rather than stable.

• Interesting that we focus on the 1/3 of pp who conformed and not the 2/3’a of pp who didn’t conform.

• Asch himself admitted the study’s showed strong tendency's towards independence.

Validity

• We could argue, we might expect conformity rate to drop in an important task.

• The fact you have to answer out loud can add pressures Example:

Williams & Sogan (1985) tested people in the same sports clubs and found higher rates of conformity.

Ethics

• How does Asch’s study fit in with ethical guidelines…..

No informed consent, No right to withdrawal, Elements of deception. They where offered a de-brief and to withdraw their data.

Applications

Tanford and Penrod (1986)• Examining Juries – found that 95% of cases

that he first vote of the jury determined the final decision. SHOWNG -> Conformity pressure can be a major issue in jury decision making.

Is conformity culture specific?

• Smith & Bond (1998) Meta – Analysis • 1952 – 1994 = 133 cases in 17 countries. Classified

as collectivist countries (Japan) or individualist. • Results showed higher levels of conformity in

collectivist cultures. Levels of conformity had fallen in the US since Asch’s 1950’s study.

• But was higher with levels of larger majorities, a larger group of females, and a more vague stimulus.

Limitations of conformity being cultural specific

• How do we define culture? • What about the differences within cultures?• There are viewpoints from within individualist

and collectivist cultures and to be inter-cultural/cross-cultural differences may be over simplistic.

• Materials used, shows the differences in values of tools used in study's which may be specific cultures.