Conformity

Conformity: o A change in ______ as a result of the real or imagined influence of other people

Examples: o o o o Cults Violence Dictatorships Everyday ______

Why do we conform. o Rely on social cues when in confusing or ambiguous ______

Why do we conform. o ______, heavy social pressure, group size, culture

Informational social influence o Conforming because we believe that others’ interpretation of an ambiguous situation is more correct than ______

Informational social influence o Conforming because we believe that ______’ interpretation of an ambiguous situation is more correct than ours

Informational social influence o Conforming because we believe that others’ interpretation of an ______ situation is more correct than ours

Informational social influence o Conforming because we believe that others’ interpretation of an ambiguous situation is more ______ than ours

Informational social influence o Conforming because we believe that others’ interpretation of an ambiguous situation is more correct than ______ choose an appropriate course of action

Conformity: o A change in ______ as a result of the real or imagined influence of other people

Meta-analytically supported o Strongest effects when requests are pro-social Compliance Foot-in-the-door technique: o A technique to get people to comply with a request, whereby people are presented first with a small request, to which they are expected to acquiesce, followed by a larger request, to which it is hoped they will also acquiesce Lowballing: o An unscrupulous strategy whereby a salesperson induces a customer to agree to purchase a product at a very low cost, and then subsequently raises the price; frequently the customer will still make the purchase at the inflated price Reciprocity: o People will feel obliged to repay others when they have been given something. Obedience to Authority Obedience: o Conformity in response to the commands of an authority figure o Norm of obedience Nazi Holocaust o Millions dead o How could this happen. • Evil people. • The banality of evil Holocaust inspired Stanley Milgram Obedience to Authority Behavioural Study of Obedience (Milgram, 1963) o Order naïve P to administer shocks to victim o Teacher (P) will administer shocks to the learner (C) when they get questions wrong o Shocks range from 15-450 volts: how far will people go. • Prodded by authority figure to continue • Samples of people predicted that 1% would go to 450 volts o 26/40 obeyed until the maximum shock was given Obedience to Authority Milgram Continued: o Original study was done on men; findings show up in women as well o Burger (2009): findings replicated across ethnicity, gender, age, education, and personality Obedience to Authority Normative Social Influence o Authority  norm of obedience Informational Social Influence o Confusing situation  look to experimenter for “guidance” Self-Justification The End .

______ is more likely if task/behaviour is important, the situation is ambiguous, others are experts

Normative Social Influence: The influence of other people that leads us to ______ in order to be liked and accepted by them

Humans need to be accepted and liked. Groups have expectations for ______

Social Norms: The implicit or explicit rules a group has for ______

Normative social influence can be exploited for good or bad. Examples: Eat healthier foods; Pro-environmental ______

Resisting Normative Social Influences: 1. Be aware the process is operating (whether you know it or not) 2. Take ______

Minority Influence: The case in which a minority of group members influences the ______ or beliefs of the majority

Compliance: A change in ______ in response to a direct request from another person

Door-in-the-face technique: A technique to get people to comply with a request whereby people are presented first with a large request, which they are expected to refuse, and then with a smaller, more reasonable ______

Obedience: Conformity in response to the commands of an ______ figure