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Understanding Conformity and Social Influence

May 11, 2025

Conformity and Social Influence Lecture Notes

Introduction to Conformity

  • Conformity involves changing behavior or belief due to real or imagined group pressure (Aronson's definition).
  • Individuals change how they behave or think because of perceived pressure from a larger group.
  • Conformity differs from obedience; it involves peer groups, not authority figures.

Types of Conformity

  1. Compliance

    • Superficial change in behavior or expressed beliefs.
    • Motivated by desire for social approval or avoidance of disapproval.
    • Driven by normative social influence.
    • Example: Partaking in social media trends for acceptance.
  2. Identification

    • Intermediate level of conformity.
    • Behavior aligns with the group to create/strengthen social identity.
    • Influenced by relationship with the group rather than agreement with norms.
    • Example: Adopting group behaviors in social clubs or workplaces.
  3. Internalization

    • Deepest level of conformity.
    • True adoption of group’s beliefs and norms.
    • Driven by the desire for correctness (informational social influence).
    • Example: Becoming an environmental advocate after group influence.

Explanations for Conformity

  • Normative Social Influence (NSI):

    • Motivated by fear of social rejection.
    • Results in public conformity without private acceptance.
    • Example: Peer pressure leading to risky behaviors.
  • Informational Social Influence (ISI):

    • Assumes group has more knowledge, especially in ambiguous situations.
    • Driven by the desire to make correct choices.
    • Example: Following others’ actions during emergencies.

Solomon Asch’s Conformity Study

  • Conducted with male students; involved confederates giving wrong answers.
  • Demonstrated NSI with participants conforming on obvious tasks.
  • Key Findings:
    • 75% conformed at least once.
    • Mean conformity rate was 32%.

Variables Affecting Conformity

  • Group Size: Conformity increased with group size but plateaued.
  • Unanimity: Social support (an ally) significantly reduced conformity.
  • Task Difficulty: Increased ambiguity led to higher conformity rates.

Evaluating Asch’s Research

  • Positives: High control and internal validity due to standardized procedures.
  • Critiques:
    • Lacks temporal validity (outdated study context).
    • Cultural bias with all-American samples.
    • Lacks mundane realism (not reflective of real-life conformity situations).

Dispositional Factors

  • Some people have a personality that influences their likelihood to conform.
  • Affiliators: Strong need to be liked, leading to higher conformity.
  • Internal Locus of Control: Less likely to conform due to feeling in control.

Conformity in Real Life

  • Real-world conformity is often a mix of NSI and ISI due to complex motivations and social dynamics.

Conclusion

  • Understanding conformity helps in recognizing how social influence shapes behaviors and decisions.
  • Future lectures will cover more on obedience and resistance to social influence.