LG 6: Conformity

Question 1

You should be able to name and describe different types of conformity by their main characteristics.

Answer 1

There are different types of conformity:

Obedience
- Acting in accord with a direct order or command

Compliance
- Publicly acting in accord with an implicit or explicit request – even if privately disagreeing

Conformity
- Change in behavior or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure

Acceptance
- Involves acting and believing in something in accord with social pressure

Question 2

Is conformity good or bad?

Answer 2

On the consept if conformity is good or bad there is no clear aswer. It depend in what situation and in what culture its debated.

In many western countries conformity is viewed as something bad. This is connected to western countries to often be more individualistic.

However, in eastern countries there conformity is viewed as something positive since it might reflect solidarity and social sensitivity. These cultures tend to be more collectivistic.

Some of the problematic things with conformity is when you go against your moral standards, ex. Bullying.

Question 3

You should know about the central ideas, procedures and main outcome of the classic conformity/obedience studies.

Answer 3

Sherif

Asch

Milgram

see document for

Question 4

Name at least three factors that de/increased obedience levels in Milgram-like obedience studies.

Answer 4

In Milgram’s obedience studies he indentified several factors that would have an effect on obedience:

Distance to the victim

Credibility to the authority
- Distance to the authority
- Legitimacy to the authority
- Consensus between several authority people

Authority of the institution

Question 5

You should be able to name and explain social psychological factors that are assumed to play a role in the development of “evil” behavior.

Answer 5

Factors that might play a role in the development of evil behaviour is

Power of authority (social norms in a society)

Denial of responsibility (ansvarsfraskrivelse)

Dehumanizing or blaming the victim
o Attitudes follow behavior
o Cognitive dissonance
o Ex. The jews during 2nd WW.
o Creates a distance to the victim

Foot-in-the-door technique
o Do something smaller first, then increasing from there.
o Ex. Millgrams studies: the participants had allerdy given a smaller amount of shocks, and therfrore easier to also give higher amount of shocks.

Question 6

What does the social impact theory (Latané, 1981) explain and by which factors?

Answer 6

The social impact theory is explaining how the individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can be influenced by the presence or actions of others. The theory suggests that social influence depends on three main factors and can be shown as the equation:

Amount of influence = f(SIN)
- Strength: the perceived importance, power, or authority of the source of influence.
- Intimacy: refers to the proximity or closeness of the source to the individual
- Number: relates to the number of people exerting influence

Social Impact Theory is often used to explain situations where people change their behaviors due to social pressure, group dynamics, or authority figures, with the influence being strongest when the source is powerful, close, and in large numbers.