Sherif (1935) confromity and group norms Flashcards
how did Sherif (1935) conduct a study on conformity?
Put objects in a dark room and told them to watch a pinpoint of light and say how far it moved.
what is the autokinetic effect?
an illusion where the light does not actually move, although people believe that it does.
how did Sherif use the autokinetic effect to study conformity?
Sherif realised an experience completely “in peoples heads” might be influenced by suggestion. he decided to study how the autokinetic effect might be influenced by other peoples opinions.
how did sherif study how people reacted to the autokinetic effect when they were alone in the room?
he found that individuals established a norm for the judgement, usually deciding the light was moving 2-6 inches and they became consistent with using this judgement after each trial.
what happened when poeple judged the autokinetic effect when they was on their own?
a subject who previously settled on the group judgement of 2-6 inches was more likely (after the group experience) to say that the light wad moving around 4 inches.
what did Sherifs experiment show?
that group norms are established through interactions of individuals, with a levelling-off of extreme opinions. The result is a consensus agreement that tends to be a compromise, even if it is wrong.
