17 Questions
Why does conformity occur?
Because of informational and normative social influences
What is the main reason behind people conforming due to informational social influence?
The need to be accurate
What is private acceptance in the context of conformity?
Genuinely believing in what others are doing or saying
In what situations does informational social influence increase the tendency to conform?
In situations where accuracy is crucial
How can using others as a source of information backfire in conformity?
When they are wrong about the situation
When are people more likely to conform to informational social influence?
When the situation is ambiguous
Why did participants continue to follow the norms of 'obey authority' and 'all in the name of science' in the study?
Because it was difficult for them to abandon those norms
What was one of the criticisms of Milgram's research design?
Ethical concerns related to deception, informed consent, and psychological distress
Why did participants lose a feeling of personal responsibility in the study?
Because of the fast-paced nature of the study and increasing shock levels
What did a recent U.S. replication find about obedience levels compared to Milgram's classic study?
There was no difference in obedience levels between the two studies
What made it difficult for participants in the study to abandon the norms of obedience?
The fast-paced nature of the study and small increases in shock levels
What type of social influence occurs when we change our behavior to match that of others to remain part of a group?
Normative social influence
In the Asch Line-Judgment Studies, what did Solomon Asch find regarding people's conformity to the group's wrong answers?
People conformed, at least some of the time, to the group's obviously wrong answer.
When does normative social influence usually result in public compliance but not private acceptance of others' ideas?
When individuals care deeply about the group
What is one key factor specified by social impact theory that increases the likelihood of normative social influence?
The unanimity of group members in their thoughts or behaviors
Which tactic involves first securing agreement with a small favor before asking for a larger request?
Door-in-the-face technique
What did Stanley Milgram's studies on obedience reveal about participants' behavior?
Participants administered potentially lethal shocks to fellow human beings.
Study Notes
Normative Social Influence
- Normative social influence occurs when people change their behavior to match that of others to remain a member of the group in good standing and gain advantages of group membership.
- Conformity to the group's social norms, including implicit or explicit rules for acceptable behaviors, values, and attitudes.
- Normative social influence usually results in public compliance but not private acceptance of other people's ideas and behaviors.
Conformity and Social Approval
- Solomon Asch's studies found that people conform to the obviously wrong answer of the group at least some of the time.
- When it is important to be accurate, people are more likely to resist normative social influence and give the right answer.
When Will People Conform to Normative Social Influence?
- Social impact theory specifies that normative social influence is most likely to occur when:
- The group is one we care about.
- The group members are unanimous in their thoughts or behaviors.
- The group has three or more members.
- We are members of collectivist cultures.
- Past conformity gives people idiosyncrasy credits, allowing them to deviate from the group without serious consequences.
Minority Influence
- An individual or small number of people can influence the group majority under certain conditions.
- Consistency in the presentation of the minority viewpoint is key.
Conformity Tactics
- Knowing about the tendency to conform can inform our strategic efforts to change the behavior of others.
- Communicating injunctive norms (expectations regarding the behaviors that society approves of) is often a more powerful way to create change than communicating descriptive norms (expectations regarding how people actually behave).
Obedience to Authority
- Stanley Milgram's studies examined obedience, when people change their behavior in response to an authority figure.
- Milgram found chilling levels of obedience in his research, with a majority of participants administering what they thought were potentially lethal shocks to a fellow human being.
- Normative pressures and informational social influence contribute to obedience.
- Participants conformed to the wrong norm and continued to follow the norms of “obey authority” and “all in the name of science” even when it was no longer appropriate to do so.
Informational Social Influence
- Informational social influence occurs when people do not know the correct (or best) action to take and look to the behavior of others as an important source of information.
- Informational social influence usually results in private acceptance, in which people genuinely believe in what other people are doing or saying.
- The tendency to conform to other people through informational social influence increases when it is important to be accurate.
- People are more likely to conform to informational social influence when the situation is ambiguous, when they are in a crisis, or if experts are present.
Test your knowledge on normative social influence, where individuals conform to group norms to gain social acceptance. Explore how this phenomenon leads to public compliance without necessarily changing private beliefs. Dive into the reasons behind behavior changes in group settings.
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