Social Conformity and Obedience

Flashcards covering the definitions, experimental studies, and types of social conformity and obedience based on the work of Solomon Asch and Stanley Milgram.

Social Conformity

A type of social influence that results in a change of behavior or belief in order to fit in with a group.

Solomon Asch (1951)

Researcher who conducted a famous experiment asking participants to compare line lengths to study how social influence causes individuals to conform to group answers.

Asch Experiment Findings

In the 1951 study, approximately $25\%$ of participants conformed most of the time, $50\%$ conformed at least once, and only $25\%$ never conformed.

Normative Conformity

Conformity that occurs because of the desire to be liked and accepted; examples include peer pressure, fashion trends, and standing ovations.

Informational Conformity

Conformity that occurs because of the desire to be correct, stemming from the assumption that others know something we do not.

Obedience

A response to authority where individuals follow orders from an authority figure without question.

Stanley Milgram (1963)

Researcher at Yale who conducted a study where participants were told to deliver electrical shocks to a 'student' to measure willingness to follow orders from an authority figure.

Milgram Experiment Results

Out of the $40$ participants, $26$ delivered the maximum lethal shock, despite many becoming visibly upset, trembling, or crying.

Aged/Groups vs. Authority

While conformity is a response to a group based on a need for acceptance or guidance, obedience is a response to authority based on fear or a desire to appear cooperative.