M3. Explain why conformity and obedience are important in the public services, with reference to research studies. Conformity and obedience are forms of social influence which strongly affect our behaviour is social situations, from following fashions and unwritten social norms which organise our behaviour, to committing immoral acts because we are commanded to by someone who appears to be in a position of authority. This essay looks at the similarities and differences between the three, looking specifically at the factors that influence each two. Conformity within a group entails members changing their attitudes and beliefs in order to match those of others within the group.
Explain how social influence research helps us to understand social change? (6m) Social influence is the process where behaviour, attitudes and beliefs change due to the presence or actions of others. Social influence research has helped us understand social change, there are several reasons on why people obey; majority influence, gradual commitment and legitimate authority. One explanation is majority influence. The research into conformity by Asch suggests that participants are more likely to conform to majority influence even if the answer was obvious.
Conformity is an act of matching one’s character and personality to another that is socially accepted and perceived as “normal” in a situation or group. Social norms are implicit, unsaid rules shared by a group of individuals that guide their interactions with others. Conformity is the tendency to align your attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with those around you. It’s a powerful force that can take the form of direct or overt social pressure or subtler unconscious influence. Three reasons why people conform are social pressure or norms (normative social influence), the need to look right or not foolish (informational social influence), and the desire for security within a group often of a similar age, culture, religion, ethical values, or educational status.
Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure. Basically, it can be summed up as yielding oneself to group pressures and differs based on the social setting and pressures thereof. A person adjusts his/her thinking or behavior to coincide with a particular group’s standard. Explaining Sherif’s Results • Why did Sherif’s participants change their estimates when they had to call out their answers in the presence of other people?
Persuasion can be defined as A)a process aimed at changing a person's attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. B)a change in behavior or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure. C)a process aimed at decreasing influence. D) a change in behavior or belief as a result of a direct order from someon Feedback: Correct. 2 CORRECT Persuasion research has shown that, due to similarity, a person will be more persuaded by A) someone who is like them.
Outline and evaluate explanations of conformity (12 marks) Conformity is where one changes their decision/opinion from the influence of or pressure from other people. This pressure can be real of imaginative. The ‘majority influence’ can play a big role in changing a person or a small groups behaviour. There are two types of conformity, compliance (other wise none as shallow conformity) and internalization (other wise none as deep conformity). The difference is that compliance is when someone conforms out loud with the views or behaviour but secretly disagrees.
Internalisation is when we change our minds about something because the majority have convinced us they are right and so we adjust our behaviour. A study that
Chapter 8: Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience - Social influence o Changes in behaviour caused by other people - Conforming behaviour occurs for two principal reasons: o Informational influence • When people are influence by others because of a desire to be correct and to obtain valid information • Reflects that people often rely on others as a source of information o Normative influence • When people are influenced by others to gain reward or to avoid punishment • Disagree with others judgments or beliefs, but proceed in an attempt to be liked or avoid conflict - These can occur simultaneously - We often want to please other people (normative influence) whose judgments we seek (informational influence) Conformity o Most
Compliance Compliance is when you publically act or agree with a group’s or person’s opinion or belief while privately disagreeing or slandering that same belief. People who do this are usually trying to look for recognition as a reward or they are trying to avoid prejudice as a punishment (Southerly, n.d.). 3.2.3. Identification People seem to not behave in a specific way because it is basically satisfying, rather people adapt a different behaviour to match and ‘identify’ with the people they spend the most time with, i.e. family, friends and colleagues.
There are believed to be two reasons for memory conformity. The first is informational and refers to a person’s desire to be correct; therefore adopting things others say that they believe to be accurate. The second is normative motivation and refers to people’s desire to be liked and thus agreeing with what others have said, although there is much more evidence of the former.