notes Flashcards
What is Conformity?
Conformity is a change in behavior or belief to align with others. It can be seen as:
Submission or sensitivity?
Compliance or responsiveness?
Improv groups
create norm-breaking scenes that highlight the discomfort of breaking norms (cringe factor).
Sherif’s Autokinetic Effect Study (1936)
Participants were in a dark room and asked to estimate the movement of a stationary point of light.
Initially, estimates varied widely.
Over multiple trials, when tested in groups, their responses converged to a common estimate.
Demonstrated informational influence – people conform when uncertain about the correct answer.
Asch’s Line Judgment Study
Participants were shown a reference line and asked to match it to one of three comparison lines.
6 confederates, 1 real participant.
Confederates unanimously gave an incorrect answer.
Results:75% conformed at least once.
25% never conformed.
Demonstrated normative influence – people conform to avoid standing out, even when the correct answer is clear.
Informational Influence (Wanting to be correct)
We assume others are right.
Examples:
Contestants on The Price is Right using audience reactions to estimate prices.
Bystander intervention: If no one helps, we assume help isn’t needed.
Normative Influence (Wanting to fit in)
We conform to avoid making a scene.
Examples:
Dressing appropriately for a wedding or work.
Teenagers adopting the language, style, and behavior of popular peers.
Positive labels for conformity
communal sensitivity, responsiveness, cooperative team play
Negative labels for conformity
submission, compliance.
Example: A work group expects a specific presentation style, but you disagree and stay silent.
Group Size
Optimal size is 5-10 people; beyond that, additional members don’t increase conformity significantly.
Unanimity
Even one nonconformist can encourage others to resist conformity.
Cohesion
We conform more to people we identify with (ingroup vs. outgroup).
Status
High-status groups exert more influence.
Public vs. Private Response
if responses are anonymous, conformity decreases (e.g., secret ballot voting).
Prior Commitment
If we’ve made a public choice, we’re more likely to stick with it.
Tight vs. Loose Cultures
Tight Cultures: Strong norms, strict enforcement, high homogeneity.
Examples: Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Pakistan.
Loose Cultures: Fewer rules, greater diversity, more individual freedom.
Examples: U.S., Australia, Brazil, Netherlands, Israel.
Examples of Cultural Conformity:
School Dress Codes:
Japan: Strict rules about hair, makeup, and uniforms.
U.S.: More relaxed policies, fewer uniforms.
Olympics 2010:
Japanese athlete Kazuhiru Kokubo banned from the opening ceremony for his sloppy appearance.
Canadian athletes had a more relaxed dress code.
Obedience vs. Conformity
Conformity: Change in behavior or belief due to subtle pressure (e.g., observing others).
Obedience: Acting in direct response to an order.
Eliciting Unethical Behavior
Study: Participants asked others to vandalize a fake library book by writing “pickle” in it.
Many agreed, highlighting how people underestimate the pressure they exert on others.
Similar to Milgram’s obedience studies, where people underestimated how many would obey harmful orders.
Norm Formation:
Eating a new food the way locals do.
Knowing when to clap during a presentation (after each speaker or at the end?).
Conformity:
Listening to popular music because others do.
Getting a belly-button piercing because it’s trendy.
Obedience:
Soldiers or employees following questionable orders.
Reactance:
People resist conforming when they feel their freedom is threatened.
Mimicry: A Subtle Form of Conformity
Unconscious imitation of speech patterns and behavior.
Study: Participants unconsciously mimicked a confederate’s gestures.
Effects of Being Mimicked:
We like the mimicker more.
The interaction feels smoother.
We’re more likely to help them (e.g., picking up their dropped pen).
Implications of Mimicry:
People dislike those who don’t mimic them.
Mimicry makes social interactions easier and less mentally demanding.
When mimicry norms are violated (e.g., a leader mimicking a subordinate), interactions feel inefficient.
Reflections on Conformity Studies Behavior vs. Attitudes:
External influences are powerful.
Breaking social constraints highlights their strength.
Reflections on Conformity Studies Fundamental Attribution Error:
We judge others for obeying social pressure but underestimate our own likelihood of doing the same.
Conclusion
Conformity is a fundamental social process influenced by situational, cultural, and psychological factors.
People conform for both informational and normative reasons.
Studies by Sherif, Asch, and Milgram reveal the powerful effects of conformity and obedience.
Mimicry and social norms shape everyday behavior, often without conscious awareness.
Understanding conformity helps us recognize and resist undue social influence.
