Psychology: Conformity and Persuasion

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Questions and Answers

What is the main characteristic of compliance in terms of conformity?

Shows long-term behaviour change

Public behaviour changes only when in a group

Internalization of beliefs

Change in public behaviour only (correct)

What defines internalisation in the context of conformity?

Modification of public behaviour that is not lasting

Genuine acceptance of group beliefs as one's own (correct)

Conformity to avoid social punishment

Temporary change of behaviour in front of a group

In what situation is identification likely to occur?

When someone is alone

When there is no group present

When internal beliefs completely align with external behaviour

When a person admires a group or individual (correct)

Which of the following best describes normative social influence?

Conforming to be accepted and avoid punishment Signup and view all the answers

What type of conformity involves a change in both public behaviour and private beliefs?

Internalisation Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario represents compliance as a type of conformity?

Drinking alcohol only in front of friends Signup and view all the answers

What generally prompts someone to rely on informational social influence?

Belief that others possess more knowledge or correct beliefs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about short-term change in behaviour is incorrect?

Only internalisation leads to short-term change. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of persuasion focuses on using data and facts to convince an analytical audience?

Central Route of Persuasion Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of a speaker enhances their persuasiveness according to the content?

Possessing physical attractiveness Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is NOT mentioned as influencing persuasion in the content?

Complexity of the message Signup and view all the answers

What type of audience is most likely to respond to subtle forms of persuasion?

Children and younger audiences Signup and view all the answers

Which method is suggested to help people remember a persuasive message more effectively?

Using repetition Signup and view all the answers

How do attitudes shift through direct experience?

By having personal interactions Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the Peripheral Route of Persuasion?

It relies on emotional reactions Signup and view all the answers

What can make a message more persuasive when the audience has low self-esteem?

Association with positive attributes like attractiveness Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of prejudice?

Attitudes towards identifiable groups of people Signup and view all the answers

What defines unconscious bias?

An automatic, unintentional attitude that affects decision-making Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of confirmation bias?

Rejecting information that contradicts existing beliefs Signup and view all the answers

What does attribution bias involve?

Attributing outcomes to one's own actions for positive results Signup and view all the answers

What is gender bias?

A preference that favors one gender over another Signup and view all the answers

What can result from exposure to specific groups over time?

Development of stereotypes and potential prejudice Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes conformity bias?

The tendency to mimic the behavior of others in a group Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of stereotypes in relation to prejudice?

They result from quickly categorizing information about groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of reverse discrimination in employment policies?

To ensure equality and inclusion for a minority group Signup and view all the answers

What does tokenism refer to in the context of employment?

Employing one individual from a minority group for superficial inclusion Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following strategies can help reduce the formation of prejudice?

Education programs focused on tolerance and empathy Signup and view all the answers

How can intergroup contact effectively reduce prejudice?

Through direct contact with an understanding framework Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main objectives of Harmony Day?

To celebrate diversity and encourage understanding Signup and view all the answers

What can be a potential outcome of educating children about prejudice?

Better understanding of community and empathy Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of effective intergroup contact?

Opportunities for shared goals and mutual understanding Signup and view all the answers

What is an essential factor to consider when attempting to reduce prejudice through direct contact?

Common interests and goals should be established Signup and view all the answers

What motivates high self-monitors in social situations?

Social cues from those around them Signup and view all the answers

How do low self-monitors typically engage with social media?

They tend to have fewer accounts and less engagement. Signup and view all the answers

What does impression management aim to influence?

The opinions and perceptions of others Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the behavior of high self-monitors compared to low self-monitors?

They adapt their behavior based on social cues more frequently. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of the primacy effect?

The first impression has a lasting impact on perceptions. Signup and view all the answers

Which group is likely to have a larger number of social media friends and followers?

High self-monitors Signup and view all the answers

What drives low self-monitors to act in social situations?

Personal true feelings and beliefs Signup and view all the answers

How does online impression management function in relation to self-presentation?

It helps construct desired identities by controlling shared information. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Conformity

Compliance - Changing public behavior but not private beliefs due to the influence of a group. The change is short-term and only occurs when in the presence of the influence group
Identification - Changing public behavior and private beliefs in the presence of the influence group. The change is short-term and influenced by the group
Internalization - Changing public behavior and private beliefs after having been influenced by the group. The change is long-term

Why People Conform

Normative Social Influence (NSI) - Conforming to be accepted or belong to a group. Usually associated with compliance and identification.
Informational Social Influence (ISI) - Conforming to gain knowledge or because a person believes that someone else is right. Usually associated with internalisation. This can be due to being in an ambiguous or unfamiliar situation and assuming the group is knowledgeable.

Persuasion

Credibility - Speakers or messages that are credible are more persuasive. Credibility can be influenced by how trustworthy, reliable, and knowledgeable a speaker is.
Repetition - Repetition of a message can help people remember it and be more persuaded by it.
Attractiveness - Attractive speakers are more persuasive than unattractive speakers.
Central Route of Persuasion - Uses logic, data, and facts to convince people by making the audience think carefully about the information. The argument must be strong, and when successful, will result in lasting attitude change. The audience must be analytical and willing to engage in processing the information.
Peripheral Route of Persuasion - Uses peripheral cues to persuade people. Requires little to no processing or thinking by the audience. Relies on association with positive characteristics. The audience does not need to be analytical.
- Example - A celebrity endorsing a new product.
Direct Experience - Attitudes are formed and changed through direct experience.

Prejudice

Prejudice - A judgment or attitude toward a group of people based on insufficient evidence, or incorrect information, that doesn't take into account individual differences.
Unintentional Biases - Automatic, unintentional, in-built attitudes used to process information.
Confirmation Bias - Favor or choosing information that fits your existing beliefs, ignoring information that is contradictory.
Attribution Bias - When something good happens, you attribute it to yourself. When something bad happens, you attribute it to external factors.
Gender Bias - Preference of one gender over another.
Conformity Bias - The tendency to behave the same as other members in the group.
Exposure - Direct experience is likely to help you develop a stereotype and therefore prejudice.
Reverse Discrimination - Favoring a minority group.
- Example - Employing one woman in an organization that is predominantly male.
Tokenism - Giving trivial assistance to a minority group.
- Example - Employing one woman in a predominantly male organisation to avoid accusations of prejudice and discrimination.

Strategies For Reducing Prejudice

Education - Programs can teach children about proactive values such as tolerance, community, the consequences of prejudice, and the importance of diversity.
Intergroup Contact - Direct contact between groups of people who have prejudicial attitudes can help reduce those attitudes.

Self-Monitoring

High Self-Monitors - Worry about their image and how they present themselves to others. Change their behavior based on others around them. More likely to have more social media accounts, followers, and friends.
Low Self-Monitors - Guided by their true feelings and beliefs in any social situation. Tend to have fewer but closer friends. Have less engagement on social media. Value congruence between their attitudes and their behaviors.

Impression Management

Managing Image - Helps in attaining goals and being successful in a range of situations. Online impression management is integral to controlling the information, photos, and videos that are posted to construct desired identities.

Other Key Concepts

Primacy Effect: Information received at the beginning carries more weight than the information that follows.

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Description

Explore the concepts of conformity, including compliance, identification, and internalization, as well as the reasons behind why people conform. This quiz also delves into persuasive communication and the role of credibility in influencing beliefs and behaviors. Test your understanding of these social psychology fundamentals.