Why people conform

Dual dependency model- Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

• Normative social influence:
  Need to be accepted and belong to a group.
  Group belonging is rewarding and group has power to punish/exclude those who don't fit in.
  Privately disagree with group (compliance)
• Informational social influence:
  Different needs drive this type of social influence.
  When one is unsure they conform.
  Drive for conformity is need to be right.
  +/-:
  - Doesn't acknowledge importance of belonging to a group.
  -P's in an experiment cannot fear group exclusion so it implies factors other than dependency of group may be important.
  - Sees choice to conform as a rational process in which the person weighs up information given and need for group approval.

Social identity explanations- Hogg (2003)

• Referent informational influence
  - which considers importance of relationships and emotional ties with other group members to help understand why we conform with them.

Tajfel (1971)
Aim: to investigate importance of group belonging.
procedure: Teenage boys in Bristol allocated to one of two groups on basis of preference for an artist.
Played game where they allocate points to exchange for money to both groups. 

Result: Boys consistently allocated points to own group even with more points allocated by giving both groups equal amounts.
Conclusion: We favour 'in' group and discriminate 'out' group.

• We self categorize ourself to feel part of a group.
• Group norms regulate behaviour which is internalized.
• Conforming to gain approval and fears rejection.

EXPLAINING MINORITY INFLUENCE

Moscovi: Showed minorities exert influence when they are consistent.
Clark argued minority can exert influence by
- Providing persuasive arguments
- Showing defecting behaviour.

2 Explanations of minority influence

Lantane and Wolfe (1981) social impact theory

- Minority and majority influence involve people that they divide into sources and targets.
- 3 factors interact of the force operating the social field.

1. Strength, importance, power of person providing influence.
2. Immediacy, psychological, physical or social distance of person providing influence.
3. Number of people providing influence.

- As influence increases it gathers influence.

Tanford and Penrod (1986) social influence model

- Minority influence increases as size of minority increases and each additional member or defector to minority adds less impact.
The Social Influence Model (SIM) predicts that as a faction increases in size, its impact increases and vice versa.