Learning outcome Discuss factors influencing conformity Define the command term I will be offering a considered and balanced

review that includes a range if arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence. Introduction-Content (about the studies that I will be explainging) There are three generally known concepts of conformity which are, informational conformity, normative conformity, and conformity, which is also known as referent informational influence. There are various factors that influence the conformity and some factors tend to have more influence in specific type of conformity. The factors can be group size, gender roles, cultural norms, and group unanimity. I will be showing two studies that are related to the normative conformity which is when an individual conforms in order to be accepted or liked by the other members of the group. The first study that I will be showing is Asch s study related to how group size can affect the conformity, and the second study will be Berry s study which is a variation of Aschs experiment and talks about how cultural norm influence level of conformity. Study 1: Aschs study Aim: To find out how the group size (situational factor) influence level of conformity when majority gives group pressure to the minority in an experimental set-up that is not ambiguous. Method: Seven male college students were placed around to white cards. One card has one straight line and the other card had three different lengthened straight lines. The participants were asked to choose which one out of the three lines has the same length as the one in the other card. There was only one real participants and the rest six were confederates who were told to give unanimous wrong answers. For the group size study, unlike the first study, Asch altered the amount of confederates by increasing the amount of confederates one by one. Result: With one confederate, the participant answered correctly. With two confederates the minority participants errors rose to 13.6%. With three confederates, the rate increased to 31.8%. Further increase in confederates did not increase errors; therefore, Asch concluded that the size of opposition is important only to a certain extent. Asch suggested that with larger groups, the participants may become resistant to conform if they suspect that members are working together with the same purpose. Evaluation (most important) -Gender: The participants gender was limited to male therefore there may be different results when the participants included both males and females or only females. As female are more communal than the male, female tend to conform more than male. -Method: The method does not apply to real life situations. Therefore it lacks ecological validity. -Ethics: The study doesnt harm anyone permanently therefore it is ethical; however, we may have to consider the mental stress that the real participant receives during the experiment.

-Culture: Different up bringing may give out a different result as different cultured people tend to have different ways of thinking. For example, western cultured people tend to be more independent compared to the eastern cultured people who are rather more dependent. Study 2: Berrys study Aim: To find out how whether conformity rates among the Temne in Sierra Leone in Africa and the Inuits of Baffin Island in Canada could be linked to social norms and socialization practices. Method: He observed the lifestyles of two different cultured ethnic groups. Result: Temne people who had an agricultural economy, had high conformity levels. The culture emphasized obedience in child-rearing practices because the culture is dependent on cooperation in farming. On the other hand, the Inuits are hunters and often hunt alone. Therefore they need to be able to make decisions for themselves. Child rearing practices emphasizes self-reliance as it is needed within this culture. This may support the result that Inuits tend to conform less. Evaluation (most important) -Gender: -Method: -Ethics: -Culture: