1. Conformity

2. Video task What is conformity?
How did the group (Audience) react to the order of ‘ find your own walk’?

3. The assessment
Covers
1.1
2.1
2.2
Difference between conformity and obedience
Minority influence

4. Conformity basics
Conformity definition:
In conformity it is the whole group that has the power, which differs from Obedience which the power is centralised on the authority figure.
Example of conformity:
Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behaviour in order to fit in with a group (McLeod, 2007)

5. Solomon Asch : Elevator experiment
Originally conducted as part of the 1962 candid camera episode ‘Rear faces’

6. First study of conformity: Minds and models handout
Jenness (1932)- Glass bottle filled with beans
Aim
Method
Results
Conclusion
Since then we have identified other types of conformity

7. Types of conformity Normative- Asch’s line study
Informational- Sherif’s study
Ingratiational-
Identification- Zimbardo’s prison study
Types of conformity

8. Normative Conformity The person wants to fit in with the group
The motivation is fear of rejection and public shaming
Publicly accepts the views of a person but privately disagrees- Don’t get confused with Obedience here!!
Asch’s line experiment

9. Last Lesson We looked at Types of conformity
Introduced Normative conformity
Ashe’s line experiment

10. This lesson: Conformity and minority influence
Identification/ Deindividuation
Informational
Normative
Sherif (1935) experiment
Asch Line Study
Zimbardo prison study

11. Identification- deindividuation
Conforming to the expectations of a social role
When people lose their own identity and fall back on perceived roles
What other examples can we use?
Zimbardo
BBC Prison study
Reicher and Haslam – handout 74/ 163

12. Informational conformity
If you are in an unfamiliar situation and you don’t know the correct way to behave.
You look to others for information about how to behave
Sherif (1935) experiment- Handout page 73

13. Criticisms of research into conformity: page
Cultural differences : a product of time and culture
Handout page 76
Personality may influence independent behaviour
Handout page 77

14. First part of assignment
Distinguish between conformity and obedience
Pick two types of conformity
Define, and explain these two types
Use two key studies to help you explain them
Evaluate these studies –what is good about the study and relating to day to day) what is not so good (criticisms of the study
Criticsims of conformity being situational

15. Minority Influence Definition Evidence to support it (studies)
Further evidence to support- day to day
Criticisms of minority influence

16. 1: Definition
Deviant subgroup rejects the established group norms and persuades the majority to conform to the minority attitude, belief, and behaviour pattern
This thereby changes the norm
Oxford Psychology Dictionary (2006)

17. 3. An Example to support definition
Could these be classed as Terrorists? Are there any more examples?
Task: But how does the minority influence work? What does the minority group have to do?

18. 2How does it work: Consistency: Moscovici et al 1969 handout 164
Consistency- must be consistent in their beliefs in order to change the majority
This consistency leads to internalisation and lasting social norm change
Wood et al (1994) –meta-analysis
97 studies found that minorities perceived as being consistent were particularly influential in changing the views of the majority
For example the suffragettes in USA Their fight for the vote continued for 15 years, even when some were imprisoned.

19. 2.Informational social influence
Aiming for converting people
They don’t want to scare people into conformity
Imagine you are selling an idea.. How would you go about it?

20. 2. The snowball effect Research: Clark 1994- Jury decision making
Handout Page 165
Once a few majority begin to move towards the minority position, then the influence of the majority begins to gather momentum as more people gradually pay attention to the minority

21. 4. Criticisms of the minority influence
Criticise the studies what is wrong in
Moscovici et al- Consistancy
Clark - Snowball

22. Handout page 166 Other explanations: The Group Membership
The Dissociation model