Lecture
Conformity
Conformity
Definition: Change in Behavior or
belief from the result of real or
imagined pressure from others
Conformity
Sherif (1936)
The Autokinetic Effect
Why do people conform?
One answer concerns the
ambiguity of the information
Informational social
influence
Others are a source of information
Conforming because we believe that
others’ interpretation of an ambiguous
situation is more correct than ours and
will help us to choose an appropriate
course of action.
Informational social
influence
Asch – Test of informational influence
A
B
C
St. line
Normative social influence
The social pressure of other people, to be
accepted, leads us to conform in order
to be liked and accepted by them
Conformity
1.
Private Acceptance
2.
Public Compliance
Conformity
Sherif = ambiguous = suggests
informational
Asch = lack of ambiguity = suggests
Normative
Conformity
Q: What happens when there is direct
pressures to conform?
Obedience: extent to which one
agrees to a specific demand or
request
Obedience
Stanley Milgram
Obedience
Factors that moderate obedience:
1.
Closeness and legitimacy of
experimenter
2.
Emotional distance from the victim
Reactance Theory
Use of force can backfire; we REACT
against it
Reactance Theory
Three types of reactions:
1.
2.
3.
React against being told not to do
something by doing it
Threatened behavior becomes
more attractive
Aggression is aimed at person
telling you not to do the behavior