Lecture 8 - Conformity and Obedience

These flashcards cover key concepts related to conformity and obedience from the lecture.

Conformity

Changing one’s behavior due to the real or imagined influence of others.

Obedience

Compliance with the commands, orders, or instructions of an authority figure.

Informational Social Influence

The influence that produces conformity when a person believes others are correct in their judgments, leading them to want to be right.

Normative Social Influence

Conforming in order to be liked and accepted by others, resulting in public compliance without necessarily believing.

Private Acceptance

Conforming to others’ behavior with the belief that what they are doing or saying is right.

Public Compliance

Conforming to others’ behavior publicly without necessarily believing in it.

Social Norms

Unspoken but shared rules of conduct and acceptable behaviors, values, and beliefs in a group.

My Lai Massacre

A war crime during the Vietnam War where American soldiers conformed to orders resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Vietnamese civilians.

Cialdini's Foot-in-the-Door Technique

A two-step compliance technique where a small request is followed by a larger one after the person has agreed to the first.

Cialdini's Door-in-the-Face Technique

A social influence strategy where a large request is followed by a smaller, more reasonable request after the initial is refused.

Idiosyncrasy Credits

The tolerance a person earns over time by conforming to group norms, allowing occasional deviations without retribution.

Contagion

The rapid spread of fears, emotions, or behaviors through a crowd.

Collectivistic Cultures

Cultures that value conformity highly, especially within known members, promoting harmony and supportive relationships.

Majority Influence

The influence exerted by a larger group on an individual in terms of behavior and opinions.

Minority Influence

A process where a smaller group impacts the larger group's attitudes or behaviors, often through unwavering views and salient arguments.

Asch's Line Study

A study demonstrating the power of normative influence where participants conformed to group pressure even when the correct answer was obvious.