CHAPTER SIX: CONFORMITY

Question 1

conformity

Answer 1

a change in belief/behaviour to accord with others

Question 2

sherif’s studies on norm formation

Answer 2

• autokinetic phenomenon: people under the influence that the light is moving when it is not
• uses confederates (fake participants used to influence)
• when around confederates: they changed their original answer agreed with t\he confederates that the light was moving
• chameleon effect
• suggestibility: being open enough to other ideas
• when we know what others think, we compare our answer and adjust it to be “right” (the majority’s thought)
• the idea that in an ambiguous situation, a person will look to others assuming they know more than we know
• informational conformity

Question 3

asch’s studies of group pressure

Answer 3

• interested in the pressure aspect of conformity
• choosing between “safe with us’ vs. risk being alone
• people conform 33% of the time

Question 4

milgram’s obedience studies

Answer 4

• researching observing participant giving a target electric shocks for getting questions wrong
• observed we feel obligated due to commitment
• when we can’t see suffering, the deed is easier to dull out
• experimenter in the room may cause pressure

Question 5

the ethics of milgram’s studies

Answer 5

• cruelty inflicted on participants
• potential alteration of participants’ self-concepts
• educational value
• lack of evidence of psychological harm
• participants were paid
• “knew” what they were signing up for
• the cognitive dissonance was resolved

Question 6

what breeds obedience?

Answer 6

• the victim’s distance (depersonalization)
• closeness and legitimacy of authority
• the liberating effects of group influence (group loyalty as constructive/heroic)

Question 7

reflections on the classic studies

Answer 7

• the relationship between behaviour and attitude weakens when external influences are overwhelming
• the power of situation: trying to break with social constraints shows us how powerful they are
• avoiding committing to the FAE: recognizing that milgram’s participants as ordinary people so we should not make FAE

Question 8

what predicts conformity? (group size)

Answer 8

• larger group = larger % of conformity
• perception of the group is important

Question 9

what predicts conformity? (unamity)

Answer 9

• unanimity: complete agreement/consensus
• if we think this way, others will too (only takes two people)

Question 10

what predicts conformity? (cohesion)

Answer 10

• like members = part of the group
• more cohesive of a group = more powerful

Question 11

what predicts conformity? (status)

Answer 11

• higher status = more influence

Question 12

what predicts conformity? (public response)

Answer 12

• public commitment = less likely to back out

Question 13

what predicts conformity? (no prior commitment)

Answer 13

• open to commit to something because haven’t before

Question 14

what causes conformity? (normative influence “liked”)

Answer 14

• “going along with the crowd” to avoid rejection, stay in people’s good graces, or gain approval
• leads to public compliance (does not necessarily mean private acceptance)

Question 15

what causes conformity? (informational influence “right”)

Answer 15

• conforming in order to be right in ambiguous situations
• leads to private acceptance

Question 16

why conform?

Answer 16

conformity is greatest when:
- people respond after the group
- people feel incompetent, task difficulty is high, care about being “right”

Question 17

who conforms?

Answer 17

• personality: not narcissists
• culture: collectivistic cultures
• gender: no proof
• social roles: every social roles has norms that guide conforming behaviour

Question 18

reactance

Answer 18

a motive to protect or restore one’s sense of freedom (any kind of small differences in groups can lead to big conflicts)

Question 19

asserting uniqueness

Answer 19

preference for being moderately unique