Is national pride and being patriotic really

just conformity?

What is conformity?

‘A change in behaviour or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure’

Types of conformity• A person may agree in public with a

group but privately disagree with the group’s viewpoint. This type of conformity therefore does not lead to a change in a person’s private beliefs and is temporary.

Compliance

• A person takes on the views of a group they join or they admire. It does not necessarily result in a change of a person’s private beliefs.

Identification

• A person agrees with a group of people because they have accepted the group’s beliefs. This type of conformity does result in a change in the persons’ private beliefs and may have longer lasting effects.

Internalisation

Studies into Conformity

Asch (1955)Variations have included

group size and knowledge of group members.

36.8% of the responses made by

true participants were incorrect.

75% conformed at least once.

Why do we conform?

Normative influence People conform in order to fit in and gain approval or avoid disapproval from other group members.

Informational social influencePeople conform because they are uncertain about what to do in a particular situation, so they look to others for guidance.

Studies into Conformity

Zimbardo (1973)Study explored

how we conform to social roles. For each role in

society there are a set of norms that tell us how

we should behave. We tend to follow these

roles.

The study tried to

prove that ‘normal’

people can alter their behaviour

due to environme

nt that they are in

– situational factors.

Factors which affect

conformity

Gender

Size of the

majority

Group cohesivenes

s (if you know each

other) Cultur

e

Importance of the task

Individual Differences – self esteem

Brain Break

What is conformity?

‘A ____________ in behaviour or belief as a result of _______ or _______ group _______’

Types of conformity• A person may agree in public with a

group of people but privately disagrees with the group’s viewpoint or behaviour. This type of conformity therefore does not lead to a change in a person’s private beliefs and is temporary.

_________

• A person takes on the views of a group they join or they admire. It does not necessarily result in a change of a person’s private beliefs.

__________

• A person agrees with a group of people because they have actually accepted the group’s beliefs. This type of conformity does result in a change in the persons’ private beliefs as a result it may have longer lasting effects.

__________

Studies into Conformity

Asch (1955)Variations have included

_____ _______and_________________.

36.8% of the responses made by

true participants were ___________.

_____% conformed at least once.

Why do we conform?

_____________influence People conform in order to fit in and gain approval or avoid disapproval from other group members.

______________ social influencePeople conform because they are uncertain about what to do in a particular situation, so they look to others for guidance.

Studies into Conformity

__________ (1973)Study explored

how we conform to _____ _______. For each role in

society there are a set of _______ that tell us how

we should behave. We tend to follow these

roles.

The study tried to

prove that ‘normal’

people can alter their behaviour

due to environme

nt that they are in – _________ factors.

Factors which affect

conformity