Lecture Notes on Conformity and Obedience

Factors Influencing Conformity

• Group Size:
  • People are more likely to conform in groups of 3 to 5.
• Unanimity:
  • Higher conformity when group opinion is unanimous.
  • Example: Asch line study variant with a supporter showed compliance dropped from 37% to 5%.
• Admiration for Group:
  • More likely to conform if we admire the group's status or characteristics.
  • Example: Children following popular groups.
• Group Cohesion:
  • Less connection with a group decreases likelihood to conform.
• Observation of Behavior:
  • Less likely to conform if responses are private versus public.
  • Example: Private responses in Asch study variant led to less conformity.
• Public Acceptance:
  • Likelihood to conform increases if we expect public shunning.

Internal Factors Influencing Conformity

• Prior Commitments:
  • Stating something upfront makes us less likely to change our stance later.
• Insecurity:
  • Feeling insecure increases likelihood of conformity.

Factors Influencing Obedience

• Authority Proximity:
  • Closer physical proximity to authority increases obedience.
  • Example: Milgram study with experimenter close by.
• Authority Legitimacy:
  • More likely to obey legitimate authority figures.
  • Example: Experimenter's attire in Milgram study (lab coat and clipboard).
• Institutional Authority:
  • Obedience higher in respected institutions, e.g., universities.
• Victim Distance:
  • Closer proximity to victim reduces likelihood of obedience.
  • Example: Milgram study variant with direct contact reduced obedience.
• Depersonalization:
  • Victims appearing less human reduce objections to actions against them.
• Models of Defiance:
  • More likely to disobey if others are doing the same.

Additional Factors

• Personality:
  • No specific personality type is more prone to conformity or obedience.
• Mood:
  • People in a good mood are more likely to conform than those in a bad mood.
• Status and Culture:
  • Lower social/economic status increases conformity.
  • Individualistic cultures (e.g., U.S., Western Europe) less likely to conform compared to collectivist cultures (e.g., China, Korea).

Reflections

• Awareness of these factors can help in reducing unwanted conformity and obedience.
• Presence of one nonconformer can influence others to not conform.
• Understanding influences on behavior provides more control and insight into personal actions.