Conformity Flashcards
Conformity
changing one’s behaviour or belief as a result of group pressure
Compliance
outwardly going along with the group while inwardly disagreeing
Obedience
compliance with a direct command
Acceptance
believing as well as acting in accord with social pressure
What is the relation of compliance, obedience, and acceptance?
compliance, obedience, and acceptance are 3 types of conformity. Obedience is a subset of compliance.
What was Sherif’s study about? What did they find?
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
What was Asch’s experiment? What did they find?
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.
What was Milgram’s experiment? What did they find?
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
What were the 4 factors that Milgram found?
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
Describe the factor of victim’s distance on conformity.
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
Describe the factor of closeness and legitimacy of the authority.
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.
Describe the factor of liberating effects of group influence.
Conformity can also be constructive. If one person speaks out, we are more likely to conform and also speak out.
What are the two main lessons learned from the studies?
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.
What is the related researcher, method, and real-life example of Norm Formation?
Researcher: Sherif
Method: Assessing suggestability regarding movement of light
Example: interpreting events differently, after hearing from other
What is the related researcher, method, and real-life example of Conformity?
Researcher: Asch
Method: Agreement with other’s obviously wrong judgements
Example: Doing as others do, like fads
What is the related researcher, method, and real-life example of Obedience?
Researcher: Milgram
Method: Complying with commands to shock another
Example: soilders or employees obeying questinable orders
What are the 6 factors that predict conformity?
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.
What are the two reasons that people conform?
- 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
Who are more likely to conform?
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
Why do people want to be different?
reactance - people act to protect their sense of freedom
Asserting uniqueness - people feel better when they see themselves as moderately unique
