Psychology social influence

- Most superficial type of conformity.

- Individuals may go along with group in order to gain their approval/avoid disapproval.

- Individuals may engage in social comparison, concentrating on what others say and do so they can adjust their own actions to fit in.

- Fitting in is seen as desirable.

- Does not result in change to person's underlying attitude, only views and behaviours expressed when in that group.

-e.g when with a friendship group, someone tells offensive joke, everyone laughs, you laugh however inside you don't agree.

Study: Asch (1951) - found P's changed answer to agree w/ stooges that gave cleary wrong answers about length of lines (in vision test). 25% did not comply (give wrong answer) 75% gave at least one wrong answer (did comply)

- deep kind of conformity

- individual accepts influence in order to be associated w/ person or group

- adopt attitudes & behaviours

- accepts those as right & true when with group

- temp or limited to situation where you have to play that role.

e.g a new teacher may adopt the views of education expressed by other teachers in that placement such as "children are lazy" but may not actually think that when they go home.

Study: Zimbardo (1973) - prison sim. P's given the role of guards delveloped group identity where they were sadistic. P's given role of prisoners developed group identtiy where they were all helpless. Expressed beliefs vanished when study ended.

- deepest level of conformity

- individuals go along w/ group because of an acceptance of their views.

- close examination of groups position may convince individual they are wrong and group is right.

- leads to acceptance of groups views publically & privately.

e.g - a student goes to university and shares a house with vegetarians, they convince yhem that vegetarianism is right, student becomes a vegetarian and remains a vegetarian when they go home.

Study: Jenness (1932) - P's asked to individually estimate number of beans in a jar, then discuss with group and re estimate. subsequent estimates converged towards group average.

Study 2: Moscovici (1969) - P's asked to decide if slide was blue or green, two actors were present and purposefully guessed the wrong answer, P's wrong answer guesses increased.