Conformity

Question 1

Conformity

Answer 1

changing one’s behaviour or belief as a result of group pressure

Question 2

Compliance

Answer 2

outwardly going along with the group while inwardly disagreeing

Question 3

Obedience

Answer 3

compliance with a direct command

Question 4

Acceptance

Answer 4

believing as well as acting in accord with social pressure

Question 5

What is the relation of compliance, obedience, and acceptance?

Answer 5

compliance, obedience, and acceptance are 3 types of conformity. Obedience is a subset of compliance.

Question 6

What was Sherif’s study about? What did they find?

Answer 6

Sherif wanted to study social norm formation. Using the autokinetic phenomenon (the phenomenon where an object appears to move, but doesn’t in reality), researchers collected estimated movements from participants, with others in the same room so others could hear the guesses. Researchers collected guesses over many days. Over time, the gueses converged to the same estimate; a social norm was formed.

this shows that our impression of reality is suggestable

Question 7

What was Asch’s experiment? What did they find?

Answer 7

Asch set up an experiment where participants had to give judgements of three comparison lines to a standard line, where there was an obvious similarity, in a group with other confederates, hidden as other participants. Everyone had to verbally give their answer to the line match. When the others unanimously gave a wrong answer, the subjects conformed 37% of the time.

Question 8

What was Milgram’s experiment? What did they find?

Answer 8

65% of his adult male subjects fully obeyed instructions to deliver what were supposedly traumatizing electric shocks to a screaming, innocent victim in an adjacent room

Question 9

What were the 4 factors that Milgram found?

Answer 9

victim’s emotional distance, the authority’s closeness and legitimacy, whether or not the authority was part of a respected institution, and the effects of a disobedient participant

Question 10

Describe the factor of victim’s distance on conformity.

Answer 10

Participants acted with greatest obedience and least compassion when the “learners” could not be seen (and could not see them)
When the learner was in the same room, “only” 40% obeyed to 450 volts. Compliance dropped to 30% when teachers were required to force the learner’s hand into contact with a shock plate.

it is easiest to abuse someone who is distant or depersonalized

Question 11

Describe the factor of closeness and legitimacy of the authority.

Answer 11

When Milgram gave the commands by telephone, full obedience dropped to 21% (although many lied and said they were obeying).
We are more likely to obey strange commands from a percieved authority.

Question 12

Describe the factor of liberating effects of group influence.

Answer 12

Conformity can also be constructive. If one person speaks out, we are more likely to conform and also speak out.

Question 13

What are the two main lessons learned from the studies?

Answer 13

Behaviour and attitudes. Attitudes fail to determine behaviour when external influences override inner convictions.
* E.g. When responding alone, Asch’s subjects nearly always gave the correct answer. It was another matter when they stood alone against a group.
Power of situation. The immediate situational forces are powerful; reveals the strength of the social context.
* E.g trying to break a social norm.

Question 14

What is the related researcher, method, and real-life example of Norm Formation?

Answer 14

Researcher: Sherif
Method: Assessing suggestability regarding movement of light
Example: interpreting events differently, after hearing from other

Question 15

What is the related researcher, method, and real-life example of Conformity?

Answer 15

Researcher: Asch
Method: Agreement with other’s obviously wrong judgements
Example: Doing as others do, like fads

Question 16

What is the related researcher, method, and real-life example of Obedience?

Answer 16

Researcher: Milgram
Method: Complying with commands to shock another
Example: soilders or employees obeying questinable orders

Question 17

What are the 6 factors that predict conformity?

Answer 17

group size: peaks at 5 items/untis of people
unanimity: if one person goes against group, lowers social power
cohesion: The more cohesiveness a group exhibits, the more power it gains over its members, due to fear of rejection
status: higher-status people tend to have more impact
public response: people conform more when they must respond in front of others
no prior commitment: Once having made a public commitment, they stick to it.

Question 18

What are the two reasons that people conform?

Answer 18

• Normative influence results from a person’s desire for acceptance: We want to be liked. The tendency to conform more when responding publicly reflects normative influence. Leads to public compliance
• Informational influence results from others’ providing evidence about reality. The tendency to conform more on difficult decision-making tasks reflects informational influence: We want to be right. Leads to private acceptance

Question 19

Who are more likely to conform?

Answer 19

Personality: predicts behaviour better when social influences are weak
Culture: those in collectivist countries (where social harmony is prized) are more responsive to others’ influence
Gender: women were more likely to conform when they were in situations where people could observe the participant’s behaviours. Note: the gender difference may be in part a confound effect
Social roles: As we internalize the role, self-consciousness subsides. What felt awkward now feels genuine

Question 20

Why do people want to be different?

Answer 20

reactance - people act to protect their sense of freedom
Asserting uniqueness - people feel better when they see themselves as moderately unique