AP Psych 9.5 - Conformity & Obedience

Social Norms

the perceived informal, mostly unwritten, rules that define acceptable and appropriate actions within a given group or community, thus guiding human behavior

Asch's Conformity Study

asked which line matches original line (left)

each announces choice to group; all but one is an accomplice of the experimenter

accomplices give incorrect answers during multiple trials

37% conformity (on majority of the trials); 75% conformed at least once

Factors That Influence Conformity: Group Size

conformity increases with group size, but only up to a certain point (4-5 people)

Factors That Influence Conformity: Unaniminity

individuals are more likely to conform when everyone in the group agrees, however if just one person disagrees, conformity tends to decrease

Factors That Influence Conformity: Cohesion

the stronger the emotional bonds among group members, the more likely they are to conform to each other

Factors That Influence Conformity: Cultural Differences

conformity is often higher in collectivist cultures (Japan, Hong Kong) where group harmony is valued over individualism

Normative Influence

when people conform to social norms in a group for fear of negative social consequences

(or the desire to fit in/be accepted)

Informational Influence

when you conform to a group in ambiguous situations (because you are unsure what to do); you look to the behaviors of others to see how they behave because you assume they know something you don't

Obedience

form of compliance that occurs when people follow direct commands, usually from someone in a (real or imagined) position of authority

Milgram's Shock Experiment

no Shocks were actually given

participants were told that the study was about impact of punishment on learning

shock generator set up w/descriptions for voltage

script for "learner" to express distress

findings: of 40 participants only 5 quit at 300 volts; only 14 participants defied the experimenter before the full series of shocks was completed; 65% gave all 30 levels of shock

Ethical Concerns of Milgram's Experiment

deception, severe stress, knowledge that capable of harm to innocent victim; Milgram felt it was ethical due to debriefing (which included introduction)

Factors That Influence Obedience: Proximity

authority figure is closer, victim is farther away

Factors That Influence Obedience: Legitimacy

authority figure seems more legitmate, prestigious

Factors That Influence Obedience: Consensus

everyone else is obeying

Factors That Influence Obedience: Collectivism

societies that value the group over the individual