Social Psychology

Types of Conformity

Compliance

• going along with others to gain their approval or avoid their disppointment.
• little or no private attitude change.
• motivated by the need to fit in with the group.
• only likely to perform in this way in the future when amongst group members.

Internalisation

• going along with others because you have accepted their point of view because it is consistent with your own.
• acceptance of the group's point of view both publically and privately.
• motivated by the want to find the best way of responding to a situation.
• likely to stick with this view whether in the presence of other group members or not.

Normative Social Influence - Compliance

A majority are able to control other group members by making it hard for them to deviate from the majority point of view. Humans are social creatures, who have a fundamental need for social companionship and a fear of rejection. 

Informational Social Influence - Internalisation

Internalisation can occur when exposed to a persuasive minority or a persuasive majority. 

Informational social influence is most likely to occur when:

• the situation is ambiguous 
• the situation is a crisis
• we believe others to be the experts

Why Do People Obey?

Gradual Commitment

• In Milgram's study the shock levels went up in gaps of 15 volts.
• Since participants had already given lower level shocks it becomes hard to stop themselves later on in the study.

Agentic Shift

• Agentic state…