Social influence

Internalisation - when a person genuinely accepts group norms. It results in a private as well as public change of opinions/behaviour. The change is more likely to be permanent and persist in the absense of group members because attitudes have become part of how the person thinks (internalised).

Identification - when we identify with a group that we value, we want to become part of it. So we publically change our opinions/behaviour, even if we don't privately agree with everything the group stands for.

Compliance - Involves 'going along with others' in public, but privately, not changing opinions/behaviour. This results in only a superficial change and the opinion/behaviour stops as soon as group pressure ceases.

Informational social influence (ISI) - a desire to be right

Often we are uncertain about what behaviour or beliefs are right or wrong. E.g. you may not know the answer to a question in class, but if most of other students agree, you go along with them because you feel they are probably right. ISI is a cognitive process - people generally want to be right. 

ISI is most likely in situations which are new or where there is some ambiguity, so it isn't clear what is right. It may happen when decisions have to be made quickly, and when one person or group is regarder as being more expert.

Normative social influence (NSI) - a desire to behave like others and not look foolish

NSI concerns what is 'normal' or typical behaviour for a social group (i.e. norms). Norms regulate the behaviour of groups and individuals so it is not surprising that we pay attention to them. NSI is emotional rather than cognitive process - people prefer social approval rather than rejection.

NSI is most likely in situations where you don't know the norms and look to others about how to behave. It is important with people you know rather than strangers because people are concerned about the social approval of friends.

It may be more pronounced in stressful situations where people have a need for social support.

P: A strength of ISI is that there is research support.

E: For example, Lucas et al. (2006) asked students to give answers to easy and more difficult maths problems.

E: They found that there was more conformity to incorrect asnwers when the problems were difficult. This was most true for students who rated their maths ability as poor.

L: Therefore, people conform in situations where they feel they don't know the answer (ISI). We look to others and assume they know better than us and must be right.

P: A limitation of ISI is there are individual differences.

E: For example, Asch (1955) found that students were less conformist (28%) than other participants (37%).

E: Also, Perrin and Spencer's (1980) found less conformity in students - in this study they were engineering students (i.e. confident about precision).

L: People who are knowledgeable and/or more confident are less influenced by the apparently 'right' view of a majority. Therefore, there are differences in how individuals respond to ISI.