Group influences on individual behaviour: Conformity

Question 1

What is conformity?

Answer 1

Yielding to real or imagined social pressure

Question 2

Describe the importance of conformity for group behaviour and healthcare.

Answer 2

• Not speaking out when there is a problem e.g., observing poor quality patient care
• Whistleblowing = publicising wrong- doings or failures of colleagues or employers

Question 3

Example of whistleblowing case: The Bristol case.

Answer 3

Dr Stephen Bolsin spoke out about Risky paediatric heart surgery leading to high mortality rates in Bristol. 3 people were found guilty. Dr Bolsin was shunned by the medical establishment in the UK.

Question 4

Define obedience.

Answer 4

A form of compliance that occurs when people follow direct commands, usually from someone in direct authority

Question 5

Describe the importance of obedience for
group behaviour and healthcare.

Answer 5

• Following orders which are incomplete, inappropriate, incorrect

Question 6

Describe bystander behaviour.

Answer 6

• People less likely to provide help to those in need when in groups than when they are alone.

Question 7

What is diffusion of responsibility?

Answer 7

• The larger the group of people involved in the process of making important decisions, the more likely it is that any one person will assume that either the mantle of responsibility rests elsewhere in the group or that those responsible for taking action have already done so.

Question 8

What is pluralistic ignorance?

Answer 8

A situation where a majority of group members privately reject a norm, but assume (incorrectly) that most others accept it.
E.g Bystander effect occurs when no one intervenes because everyone believes that no one else perceives an emergency

Question 9

What changes bystander effect?

Answer 9

1. Increase:
   -Situations perceived as non dangerous, perpetrators are present, costs of intervention are physical, Strangers involved, stronger for women and more observers.
2. Decrease:
   - Situation perceived as dangerous, perpetrators not present, costs are non-physical, friends involved, less for men and fewer observers