Wwu Social Psychology Study Guide Czopp

Front 1

Conformity

Back 1

a. When real or perceived pressure causes one to act differently than when alone
b. It is popular to be non-conformist in our society, some research shows negative aspects of conformity
c. Solomon Asch conducted a line estimation study
i. 1% of subjects made errors when alone
ii. 37% of subjects made errors when in a group
iii. When subject is given a partner that also chooses the correct answer (instead of the wrong one like the rest), only 5% of subjects choose the wrong answer
iv. People will deny what they see and submit to group pressure
v. What happens when the answers are unclear?

Front 2

Normative Influence

Back 2

i. Based on attempts to gain social approval or avoid disapproval
1) Conforming to be liked, or avoid being disliked
2) This is the conformity we most often think of

Front 3

Muzafir Sherif

Back 3

i. Conducted Autokinetic effect study:
1) Illusion of movement
2) Stationary dot everyone looked at, then they were asked to state how far it moves back and forth, even though it is stationary - eventually the group settles on one answer
3) When reality is ambiguous, individual behavior converges to group norm=

Front 4

Autokinetic Effect

Back 4

The autokinetic effect (also referred to as autokinesis) is a phenomenon of human visual perception in which a stationary, small point of light in an otherwise dark or featureless environment appears to move. It was first recorded by a Russian officer keeping watch who observed illusory movement of a star near the horizon. It presumably occurs because motion perception is always relative to some reference point. In darkness or in a featureless environment there is no reference point, so the movement of the single point is undefined. The direction of the movements does not appear to be correlated with the involuntary eye movements, but may be determined by errors between eye position and that specified by efference copy of the movement signals sent to the extraocular muscles.

Front 5

Informational Influence

Back 5

i. Based on perceptions of reality, not what people think of you
ii. Conforming to be Correct
iii. Conforming because you do not want to be wrong about something

Front 6

Consequences of Conformity

Back 6

Include: Social contagion, Ideomotor Action, Chameleon Effect, Werther Effect

Front 7

Social Contagion

Back 7

i. When people automatically conform to the emotions and behaviors of others around them
1) For example, on laugh tracks on sitcoms
a) Stimuli are rated funnier when others are also laughing
b) People watching cartoons thinks there are other people watching them watch cartoons with laugh tracks - people who thought they were being watched rated cartoons funnier than those who believed they were watching alone

Front 8

Ideomotor Action

Back 8

1) When merely thinking about a behavior make its actual action more likely (e.g. yawning)

Front 9

Chameleon Effect

Back 9

1) Nonconscious interpersonal mimicry - we copy behaviors of people we are talking to, want to influence, like, etc.
a) Facilitates social interactions
b) Mirror neurons?
c) Predisposition for empathy?
d) We are more likely to like someone who mimics us, makes us feel similar

Front 10

Werther Effect

Back 10

i. People see suicide on the news, they are more likely to copy that behavior - suicide rates increase after highly publicized suicides.
1) Especially among populations similar to initial victim
ii. Other things go up, as well, like motor vehicle fatalities - could people be unintentionally committing suicide because they are thinking about it? Maybe not paying attention on the road? Even private airplane fatalities increase.

Front 11

Benefits of Conformity

Back 11

Enjoying meals more; Social Harmony, Social Entertainment, Social Improvement

Front 12

Social Harmony

Back 12

Traffic rules, class respect (not talking on cell phone in class), conversation norms (close talker)

Front 13

Social Entertainment

Back 13

The hokey pokey - for fun (sporting events (wave), etc.)

Front 14

Social Improvement

Back 14

i. Can be used to treat phobias, shyness
ii. A "fearless peer" can induce positive conformity" (if Johnny can do it then I can do it)

Front 15

Factors Increasing Conformity

Back 15

Group Size, Cohesion, Age, Gender, Norm Awareness, Culture

Front 16

Group Size

Back 16

increases conformity up to 5 people, then levels off

Front 17

Group Cohesion

Back 17

i. Closer groups conform more
1) Wanting to be accepted and by liked others
2) Will act, dress, be similar to one another
ii. Public Responses
1) In voting booth, more likely not to be influenced - public responses increase conformity
iii. Expertise of group members
1) Induces informational influence
a) We take advice from experts and qualified people (e.g. asking engineer about hybrid cars, tv)
iv. Status of group members
1) Induces normative influence

Front 18

Norm Awareness

Back 18

i. Our attention must be drawn to the norm in order to conform to it NORMS
1) Descriptive Norms - what others are doing
2) Prescriptive Norms - what others should be doing

Front 19

Descriptive Norms

Back 19

What others are doing

Front 20

Prescriptive Norms

Back 20

What others SHOULD be doing

Front 21

Gender

Back 21

i. Women conform slightly more in general
1) But only in public or when correct responses are ambiguous (women are more likely to conform as a result of informational influence)
2) Men conform more in stereotypically female domains (like in weddings, decorating, etc.)

Front 22

Culture

Back 22

i. Collectivists conform more than individualists
1) Maintains group harmony

Front 23

Factors that Decrease Conformity

Back 23

Dissension, Minority Group Influence, Optimal Distinctiveness,

Front 24

Dissension

Back 24

i. A lone dissenter decreases conformity by 80% - this is true even when the dissenter is wrong
ii. Jury Size
1) Movement toward 6 person juries instead of 12
a) Concern over the "tyranny of the majority"
b) Research on conformity shows that with fewer people, there is less deliberation, less dissension, and more unanimous discussions - we need that lone dissenter to cut back pressure to conform

Front 25

Minority Influence

Back 25

1) May stimulate creative thinking
2) Push for diversity
a) Minority are often disliked at first, but respected for their opinions
3) Message must be consistent but flexible
a) People seen as overly stubborn will not influence majority
4) May result in internalization (private acceptance) but not public compliance

Front 26

Optimal Distinctiveness

Back 26

i. The balance between the need for similarity and the need for uniqueness
ii. Hipsters - like bands less after they become famous. It's not as fun to like things that everyone else likes.