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Social Psychology

Social Psychology . Evaluating Research into Conformity Lesson 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.

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Social Psychology

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  1. Social Psychology Evaluating Research into Conformity Lesson 2

  2. If you still tell your mum/dad you love them

  3. If you have ever farted in public

  4. If you’ve ever ate a bogie

  5. If you have ever skived a lesson

  6. If you have ever cheated in a test

  7. If you have a tattoo

  8. Social Psychology:Social InfluenceConformity - Majority Influence LON: Miss Norris To define conformity To understand different types of conformity

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Asch (1956) Line Experiment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF6oiNU-POw&feature=related

  12. 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

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. 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 culturesand 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.

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