Explanations for conformity: informational social influence (ISI) and normative social influence (NSI)
Two processes drive conformity. Informational social influence (ISI) happens when you copy others because you think they know the right answer. Normative social influence (NSI) happens when you copy others to fit in and be liked.
Real World
When NASA engineers deferred to managers' judgement before the Challenger launch despite their own doubts, they were exhibiting ISI — trusting authority as an information source in an ambiguous, high-stakes situation.
Exam Focus
Always link ISI to uncertainty and NSI to belonging; confusing the two in 'explain' questions loses application marks.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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