Social Psychology: Conformity and Obedience

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Questions and Answers

What is conformity?

Conformity is a change in behavior or belief as the result of real or imagined group pressure.

What are the two main types of conformity?

  • Compliance and obedience
  • Acceptance and compliance (correct)
  • Acceptance and obedience
  • Obedience and acceptance

What is Sherif's experiment about?

Sherif's experiment sought to observe the emergence of social norms in a laboratory setting.

What is the main finding of Sherif's experiment?

<p>Sherif's experiment found that over time, a group norm forms, where everyone's estimates become similar.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the optical illusion used in Sherif's experiment?

<p>The optical illusion used in Sherif's experiment is called the autokinetic phenomenon.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Asch's experiment about?

<p>Asch's experiment studied how individuals' judgments can be influenced by the judgments of others in a group, even when those judgments are clearly wrong.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of participants in Asch's experiment conformed at least once?

<p>75% (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Milgram's obedience study about?

<p>Milgram's obedience study investigated what happens when the demands of authority clash with the demands of conscience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the Milgram experiment's procedure.

<p>The Milgram experiment involved a teacher, a learner, and an experimenter. The teacher was instructed to deliver electric shocks to the learner when they gave wrong answers, with the intensity of the shocks increasing over time.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are four features of Milgram's study design?

<p>Slippery slope, framing, opportunity to deny responsibility, limited time to decide (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors can influence obedience?

<p>All of the above (E)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is social contagion?

<p>Social contagion is the rapid spread of emotions, behaviors, and beliefs among people in a group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is mass hysteria?

<p>Mass hysteria is the suggestibility to problems that spreads throughout a large group of people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is conversion disorder?

<p>Conversion disorder is a type of mass hysteria, caused when psychological stress is unconsciously expressed in physical symptoms, which then spreads as social contagion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the drift toward evil usually occur?

<p>The drift toward evil usually occurs in small increments, without any conscious intent to do evil.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some factors that predict conformity?

<p>Factors that can predict conformity include group size, unanimity, and cohesion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the size of a group affect conformity?

<p>Larger groups tend to elicit more conformity than smaller groups.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of unanimity in conformity?

<p>It is easier to stand up to someone when you can find someone else to stand up with you.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does cohesion affect conformity?

<p>Cohesion increases the power of a group over its members, making it more likely that they will conform to group norms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main types of social influence that lead to conformity?

<p>Informational influence and normative influence (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is normative influence?

<p>Normative influence stems from a person's desire to fulfill others' expectations, often to gain acceptance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is informational influence?

<p>Informational influence occurs when people accept evidence about reality provided by other people, leading to changes in their beliefs about the world.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What personality traits are associated with a greater tendency to conform?

<p>Personality traits associated with greater conformity include agreeableness and conscientiousness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What personality trait is often associated with a lower tendency to conform?

<p>Openness to experience is a personality trait often associated with a lower tendency to conform.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does culture affect conformity?

<p>Collectivist cultures tend to conform more than individualistic cultures because they place a higher value on group harmony and social cohesion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory of psychological reactance?

<p>The theory of psychological reactance suggests that people act to protect their sense of freedom when it is threatened.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the benefits of asserting uniqueness?

<p>Asserting uniqueness can boost self-esteem, improve self-perception, and help people feel more comfortable in social situations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of roles in conformity?

<p>Roles can influence conformity by providing us with social scripts and expectations, which helps us understand how to behave in a particular situation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of reactance in conformity?

<p>Reactance is the motivation to protect or restore one's sense of freedom when it is threatened. It can lead to rebellious behavior or opposition towards social pressure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Conformity

A change in behavior or belief due to group pressure.

Acceptance

Conformity that involves acting and believing in accord with social pressure.

Compliance

Conformity where one acts according to a request but privately disagrees.

Obedience

Following commands or orders from an authority figure.

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Sherif’s Autokinetic Effect

Illusion of movement perceived in a stationary point of light in the dark.

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Social Contagion

Suggestibility in behavior that spreads through a group.

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Asch's Line Experiment

Study testing group pressure's effect on individual judgment.

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Milgram's Obedience Study

Research on how authority figures can compel individuals to act contrary to conscience.

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Normative Influence

Conformity based on the desire to be accepted by a group.

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Informational Influence

Conformity that results from accepting evidence provided by others about reality.

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Group Size Effect

Larger groups produce more conformity, up to a point.

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Unanimity

The power of a group agreeing as one can enforce conformity.

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Coercion

Pressure in situations that can lead individuals to conform.

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Cohesion

The degree of connection among members of a group affecting influence.

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Status

Higher status individuals have more power to influence conformity.

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Prior Commitment

Sticking to an opinion once publicly stated, reducing conformity.

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Psychological Reactance

Behavioral response to protect one's perceived freedom when it's threatened.

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Situational Factors

External factors that can lead ordinary people to act cruelly.

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Distance to Victim

Greater physical or emotional distance from a victim increases obedience.

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Legitimacy of Authority

The perceived authority figure's legitimacy affects obedience levels.

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Milgram's Findings

Many people will obey authority even against their conscience under specific conditions.

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Role of Group Influence

The group's dynamics can liberate or inhibit personal behavior.

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Conversion Disorder

Psychological stress causing physical symptoms spreading through groups.

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Chameleon Effect

Natural imitation of others’ behaviors to increase likability.

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Social Norms

The unwritten rules that govern behavior in groups.

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Mass Hysteria

A phenomenon of collective anxiety or fear spreading rapidly in a group.

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Compliance vs. Acceptance

Distinction between agreeing outwardly and genuinely believing.

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Behavior vs. Attitude

External behavior may not reflect internal beliefs in group settings.

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Obedience and Morality

The clash between following orders and personal morality can cause tension.

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Study Notes

Social Psychology: Conformity and Obedience

  • Conformity: A change in behavior or belief due to real or imagined group pressure.
  • Western Individualist Perspective: Often views conformity negatively.
  • Conformity Varieties:
  • Acceptance: Acting and believing in accord with social pressure.
  • Compliance: Publicly acting in accordance with a request, even if privately disagreeing.
  • Obedience: Conformity in response to a direct order.

Sherif's Studies of Norm Formation

  • Goal: To observe how social norms emerge in a controlled laboratory setting.
  • Procedure: Participants were placed in a darkened room and exposed to a stationary point of light. They were asked to estimate its movement.
  • Findings: Over time, participants' estimates converged, forming a group norm, even though the light never actually moved (autokinetic phenomenon).

Asch's Studies of Group Pressure

  • Goal: To investigate conformity in situations where the correct answer is obvious.
  • Procedure: Participants were asked to judge which of several lines matched a standard line; confederates gave incorrect answers.
  • Findings: A substantial portion of participants conformed to the incorrect majority opinion.

Milgram's Obedience Studies

  • Goal: To examine obedience to authority figures.
  • Procedure: Participants (teachers) were instructed to administer increasingly stronger electric shocks to another participant (learner) when they answered questions incorrectly, even when the learner expressed discomfort.
  • Findings: A surprising percentage of participants obeyed the authority figure, even when the orders conflicted with their personal conscience.

Factors Influencing Conformity and Obedience

  • Group Size: Larger groups tend to elicit more conformity.
  • Unanimity: Having a dissenting voice reduces conformity.
  • Closeness of Authority/Victim: Physical proximity influences obedience.
  • Institutional Authority: Perceived legitimacy of the authority increases obedience.

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