Conformity

• Conformity occurs in situations in which individuals change their behaviour as the result of real or implied pressure from others.
• What was the main task used in the Asch Experiment?


  Line judgment task
• Who were the participants in the Asch Experiment?


  A naive participant and seven confederates
• What did the confederates agree on before the Asch Experiment?


  What their responses would be during the line task
• What did the real participant believe about the confederates?


  That they were also real participants
• How did participants indicate their answers in the Asch Experiment?


  By stating aloud which comparison line was most like the target line
• What was the seating arrangement of the real participant in the Asch Experiment?


  The real participant sat at the end of the row
• How many trials were conducted in the Asch Experiment?


  18 trials
• On how many trials did the confederates give the wrong answer?


  12 trials
• What were the trials where confederates gave the wrong answer called?

  Critical trials
• What was the main interest of Asch in conducting this experiment?


  To see if the real participant would conform to the majority view
• Factors that affect conformity

  • Normative influence
  • Informational influence
  • Unanimity
  • Group size
  • Deindividuation
• Normative Influence

  • refers to the impact of the established behaviour of the group (group norms) on the likelihood of a person conforming
  • to avoid being ridiculed by our friends and family, we have learned to conform to group norms
• Normative Influence

  • group norms are standards that are set by the groups to which we belong, may not be explicitly stated but are established patterns of behaviour
• Normative Influence

  • the influence of others can lead us to conform to differing degrees
  • conforming only in the presence of group members is called public conformity
  • beliefs are not consisten with behaviour
• Informational Influence

  • when moving to different environments such as countries, jobs, or schools, we observe the behaviour of others to find out how we should behave
  • informational influence = when we are influenced by the behaviours of people around us and these behaviour shape our actions
  • Others' behaviour guides us
• Unanimity

  • when everyone in the group agrees or does the same thing
  • a unanimous group is a very powerful influence for conformity
  • if we have one supporter or ally then we are unlikely to be influenced by the group
  • a unanimous group of three is more powerful than a group of eight that has one dissenting person
• We are more likely to conform when we:

  • are made to feel incompetent or insecure.
  • are in a group with at least three people.
  • are in a group in which everyone else agrees. (If just one other person disagrees, the odds of our disagreeing greatly increase.)
  • admire the group’s status and attractiveness.
  • have not made a prior commitment to any response.
  • know that others in the group will observe our behaviour
  • are from a culture that strongly encourages respect for social standards.
• Normative Influence

  • Frequently, we conform to avoid rejection or to gain social approval. In such cases, we are responding to normative social influence.  We are sensitive to social norms —understood rules for accepted and expected behaviour—because the price we pay for being different can be severe. We need to belong.
• Conformity results from one’s willingness to accept others’ opinions about reality or their behaviours as correct.
• Informational Conformity

  Sometimes, we conform because we want to be accurate. Groups provide information, and only an uncommonly stubborn person will never listen to others. When we accept others’ opinions about reality, we are responding to informational social influence. 
• Beyond normative and informational influences, there are several other factors that affect a person’s degree of conformity.

  • Culture
  • Group Size
  • Unanimity
  • Deindividuation
  • Social Loafing
• Culture

  • People from a collectivist culture are more likely to conform than those from an individualistic culture.
  • This is because it is expected that members of a collectivist culture will help out and do what is expected.
  • Those from an individualistic culture don’t want to look like they are following the crowd.
• Group Size

  • People in groups of 3-5 people are more likely to conform than groups of other sizes.
  • To convince someone, having three of you provides better results than you alone.
• Deindividuation

  • When in a group, people feel a diminished sense of responsibility.
  • This leads to deindividuation as a person abandons their restraints.
  • It is suggested this is because of two factors:

  1. Anonymity
  2. Shift of Attention

  • When dressed similarly to others, people tend to act similarly to how that group is acting or perceived to act.
• Social Loafing

  • When in groups, people tend to put less effort into their actions than when on their own.
  • This happens because people feel less accountable for their actions when others are around.
  • This can be reduced when:

  1. The task is interesting
  2. Individual contributions are essential
  3. Performance is monitored
  4. People identify with the group
• Normative Conformity:

  • Occurs when an individual conforms to the expectations of a group to fit in, gain approval, or avoid disapproval.
  • The change in behavior may happen even if the individual privately disagrees with the group.
  • It’s often driven by a desire for social acceptance or to avoid feeling isolated.
  • Example: Agreeing with a group’s opinion in a meeting, even if you secretly think otherwise, to avoid standing out.
• Informative Conformity:

  • Happens when an individual looks to others for guidance because they believe the group has more knowledge or information about the situation.
  • This type of conformity is likely when the individual is unsure or feels they lack the knowledge to make a sound judgment.
  • It’s driven by the desire to make the "right" choice and is common in ambiguous situations.
  • Example: Following locals when traveling in a foreign country because you assume they know the customs better.