Lecture 08 Conformity

Question 1

Conformity

Answer 1

when our attitudes, judgments, or behavior change to become more consistent with:
- the attitudes, judgments, or behavior of other people
- or the normative standards of a situation or group

Question 2

Reasons to Conform

Answer 2

• to understand what to do in an ambiguous situation
• to get approval (or avoid disapproval) from others
• in obedience to the pressure we feel from authority figures

Question 3

Informational Social Influence

Answer 3

Rely on other people as a source of information to guide their behavior
- Believe that others’ interpretations of ambiguous situations are correct

Question 4

Sherif (1963)

Answer 4

• suggests participants changed their estimates
• because they were using others as a source of information
• not to avoid embarrassment

Question 5

Private Acceptance

Answer 5

Internalize what they learn from others and accept it as correct

Question 6

Nolan et al (2008)

Answer 6

The 4th message informational social influence (conformity):
- Participants learned that most of their neighbors conserved electrical energy
- Measured actual energy usage from homes’ electrical meters.
- Result: The 4th message reduced participants’ energy usage the most.

Question 7

Baron et al (1996): Importance & Conformity

Answer 7

1. Ambiguous: more likely to rely on others as sources of information in important situations
   - Because they think others’ answer are correct
2. Unambiguous: conformed less to an obviously wrong answer when the situation was important

Question 8

People are more likely to
conform to informational
social influence when…

Answer 8

• A situation is ambiguous
• A situation is a crisis (under pressure)
• Other people are experts

Question 9

Normative Social Influence

Answer 9

Conform in unambiguous situations where other people are behaving in ways that are potentially dangerous or inappropriate
- Want to be liked and accepted by other people

Question 10

Why is normative social influence so powerful?

Answer 10

Other people are important to our sense of well-being and physical and mental health.
- Acceptance by others and belonging are incredibly important to us.
- Furthermore, failure to conform can lead to punishment, ridicule, or even rejection by other group members

Question 11

Normative social influence leads to…

Answer 11

-Public compliance with the group’s beliefs and behaviors
- But not always private acceptance

Question 12

The Asch Line-Judgment Studies

Answer 12

Asch’s hypothesis that people would
not conform was wrong.
- People still conformed when the answer was obviously wrong, and they would (probably) never see their group members again

Question 13

Asch Vs. Sherif

Answer 13

The situation was not ambiguous, so participants did not need help from others
- Avoid social disapproval
- Public compliance: The participant knew the answers they gave were wrong

Question 14

fMRI of Conformity

Answer 14

When participants chose to disagree with the group’s answer by giving the right answer
- The visual and perceptual areas were less active.
- More activation in the amygdala: negative emotion and modulating social behavior
- Social influence occurs because people have negative feelings such as
discomfort, tension, and anxiety when they go against the group

Question 15

The Consequence of Resist Normative Social Influence

Answer 15

• Group members try to get the person to conform
• Increase communication: teasing or discussion to understand the weird behavior
• Say negative thing
• Avoiding
• No place in the group

Question 16

The Consequence of Follow Normative Social Influence

Answer 16

Idiosyncrasy credits: Members are less likely to upset with one-time non-conformity

Question 17

When do people conform to normative social influence?

Answer 17

1. Social impact theory
2. When the group is in agreement (1 vs. 8)
3. When the culture is collectivistic

Question 18

Social Impact Theory

Answer 18

Conforming to social influence depends on the group’s
- Importance/strength
- Immediacy: physically closer
- The number of people in the group: but additional members affect less when the group is already big (3 vs. 5)

Question 19

Collectivism and Normative Social Influence

Answer 19

• Individualistic: cowardice
• Collectivistic: a means to promote harmony and supportive
• Japanese: not conform to group that they don’t identify with

Question 20

Majorities Influence Minorities

Answer 20

Normative social influence
- leads to public compliance

Question 21

Minorities Influence Majorities

Answer 21

Consistency
Informational social influence
- leads to private acceptance

Question 22

2 Types of Social Norms

Answer 22

1. Descriptive norms
2. Injunctive norms

Question 23

Descriptive Norms

Answer 23

How people TYPICALLY feel, think, and behave in a situation.
- Perceptions of what most people normally do in a situation.
- e.g. Walking on the left side of a hallway

Question 24

Injunctive Norms

Answer 24

How people SHOULD feel, think and behave in a situation
- These norms are more moral in nature
- Violation of injunctive norms results in negative emotions disapproval from others.
- e.g. Not littering.

Question 25

Descriptive Norms Vs. Injunctive Norms

Answer 25

Descriptive norms: increase target behavior when the context is consistent
Injunctive norms: increase target behavior without the effect of context

Question 26

The Boomerang Effect of Descriptive Norms

Answer 26

Using Descriptive Norms (average) affect
- Low target behavior members -> average: Good
- High target behavior members -> average: Bad

Question 27

Norm - Conformity Model

Answer 27

1. Descriptive Norms -> Informational Function -> Private Acceptance
2. Descriptive Norms -> Normative Function
3. Injunctive Norms -> Normative Function -> Public Compliance

Question 28

Conformity Practice Questions

Answer 28

A student is studying in the library near other students. Her phone rings. Instead of leaving the library, she loudly discusses her vacation plans with her best friend in the middle of the library. People around her look really annoyed.
1. Is she violating a descriptive or injunctive norm?
2. Do people usually conform to this norm because of normative or informational social influence?
3. Is it an example of public compliance or private acceptance?

Question 29

Obedience to Authority

Answer 29

A change in one’s behavior due to direct influence from an authority figure (someone with power)
- We internalize this norm of obedience and continue to obey authority figures when they are not present.
- e.g. Stopping at red lights when there is no police nearby

Question 30

The Milgram studies

Answer 30

Test if everyday people could commit immoral acts
- Shock a person if the given answers are incorrect

Question 31

Explanations for the Obedience

Answer 31

1. Normative social influence: People don’t want to be criticized
2. Informational social influence: Ambiguous -> use others’ information
3. Adhering to the wrong norm and difficult to change
4. Cognitive dissonance: Self-justification
5. Loss of personal responsibility

Question 32

What are factors that reduce obedience to authority?

Answer 32

• Physical location
• Proximity between the actor and subject
• Proximity of authority
• Norms (Rebel)
• Choices of action

Question 33

Obedience to Authority Practice questions

Answer 33

1. Can you imagine other versions of Milgram’s study that would reduce the likelihood that participants reach the highest level of shock?
2. Can you think of ways to increase the number of participants that administer the highest levels of electric shock?