CH 07: Conformity

What is the definition of conformity according to Kiesler & Kiesler (1969)?

Conformity is a change in behaviour as a result of the real or imagined influence of other people.

How do rats demonstrate conformity in research by Galef & Whiskin (2008)?

Rats avoided toxic food after it made them sick, but when they saw other rats eating that food, they ate it too—showing that conformity pressures can override survival instincts.

Why does North American culture tend to view conformity negatively?

Because it is an individualist culture emphasizing independence, self-reliance, and thinking for oneself. Conformity is often seen as weakness or spinelessness.

What did Vorauer & Miller’s (1997) University of Manitoba study reveal about conformity?

Students unknowingly adjusted their self-ratings of intellectual ability based on another student's ratings—showing that people conform more than they realize and are unaware of this influence.

What does the study by Vorauer & Miller suggest about self-perception and conformity?

People believe they act independently, but subtle social influence shapes their self-evaluations even when they deny it.

How can conformity lead to extreme outcomes in groups or societies?

Under strong social pressure, people may conform to destructive or violent actions, as seen in historical cases like the Solar Temple deaths, Reena Virk’s murder, and military atrocities (Somalia, Abu Ghraib, etc.).

What is informational social influence?

It’s conformity that occurs because we view others as a source of information to guide our behaviour in ambiguous or uncertain situations.

What does the Feeney et al. (2017) “pizza bite” experiment illustrate?

Participants matched their food consumption to others’ prior behaviour—even when alone—showing that informational norms can persist and influence private behaviour.

What are private acceptance and public compliance in conformity?

• Private acceptance: genuinely believing others are right.

• Public compliance: outwardly agreeing without internal belief.

How does task importance affect informational social influence?

The more important accuracy is to participants, the more they conform—suggesting that we rely more on others when outcomes feel high-stakes.

What three types of situations most often produce informational conformity?

1. Ambiguous situations

2. Crises

3. Situations involving experts

How does ambiguity increase conformity?

The less certain people are about how to act, the more they look to others for cues, as seen in cases like the Shidane Arone tragedy—where unclear orders led soldiers to imitate peers’ violent behaviour.

Why does crisis heighten conformity?

Crises create urgency and fear, reducing critical thinking and leading people to copy others—sometimes resulting in irrational or tragic outcomes, as with the Solar Temple mass suicide.

What was the 1938 “War of the Worlds” broadcast, and how does it show mass conformity?

A realistic radio drama caused mass panic when listeners mistook it for real news, illustrating mass hysteria driven by informational social influence during uncertainty.

How does informational social influence appear today?

It spreads misinformation on social media—such as fake news and conspiracy theories—because people look to others’ reactions to judge credibility.

How do experts influence conformity?

People are more likely to conform to those perceived as knowledgeable, especially in crises or uncertainty—though experts can also be wrong, as in the “War of the Worlds” case where even police were fooled.

How can people resist informational social influence?

By independently verifying information instead of accepting others’ interpretations—checking multiple sources, seeking evidence, and questioning legitimacy.

What real-world examples show resistance to social influence?

• Some Solar Temple members refused suicide.

• Some soldiers rejected abusive orders.

• Some listeners verified War of the Worlds by checking other stations.

What does research by Buehler & Griffin (1994) reveal about how conformity affects perception?

Participants changed their interpretation of a police shooting case to align with or oppose group opinion, showing that conformity shapes not only behaviour but also how we see reality itself.

Why are decisions about whether to conform so powerful?

Because they influence how we define reality—accepting others’ views can reshape our own perceptions, emotions, and moral judgments.

What is normative social influence?

It’s the influence that leads people to conform in order to be liked and accepted by others. It results in public compliance with group behaviors and beliefs but not necessarily private acceptance.

How does normative social influence differ from informational social influence?

Normative influence stems from the desire for social approval, while informational influence comes from a desire to be correct. Normative conformity doesn’t require ambiguity; informational conformity does.

What is public compliance versus private acceptance?

Public compliance means outwardly conforming to fit in with the group, even if one privately disagrees. Private acceptance means truly believing the group is right.

Why do humans conform under normative social influence?

Because humans are social beings who rely on others for emotional support, belonging, and companionship — leading us to conform to be accepted by our groups.

How does normative social influence relate to risky behaviors in youth?

Adolescents often conform to friends engaging in risky behaviors like drug or alcohol use to maintain social acceptance and avoid rejection (Vézina et al., 2011; Tsakpinoglou & Poulin, 2017).

What were the findings of Dumas et al. (2014) about alcohol use among university men?

Male students consumed dangerous levels of alcohol to maintain group status, illustrating conformity driven by normative social influence.

What are social norms?

Shared group expectations about acceptable behaviors. Conforming to them keeps members in good standing, while deviation can lead to ridicule or rejection.

What is “jeer pressure”?

The pressure to conform that arises from seeing others ridiculed for nonconformity. Observing ridicule increases conformity to avoid becoming the next target (Janes & Olson, 2000).

What was the goal of Solomon Asch’s (1951, 1956) studies?

To test whether people would conform to a group’s incorrect judgments even when the correct answer was obvious.

Describe the setup of Asch’s line judgment experiment.

Participants judged line lengths in a group of 7–8 people, unaware that all others were confederates who intentionally gave wrong answers on some trials.

What percentage of Asch’s participants conformed at least once?

76% conformed on at least one trial, and overall, conformity occurred on about one-third of trials.

What did Asch’s findings reveal about normative pressure?

Even without ambiguity, people conformed to avoid standing out or appearing foolish — demonstrating strong normative social influence.

What happened when participants in Asch’s study wrote their answers privately?

Conformity dropped dramatically—from about 32% to only 1.5 out of 12 trials—showing that fear of social disapproval drives conformity.

What did Berns et al. (2005) discover about the brain and conformity?

Conforming activated visual and perceptual brain areas; resisting conformity activated the amygdala and right caudate nucleus, showing emotional discomfort when disagreeing with the group.

What is social impact theory (Latané, 1981)?

A model predicting that conformity depends on strength, immediacy, and number of group members influencing the individual.

Define the three variables of social impact theory.

1. Strength – Importance of the group to the individual.

2. Immediacy – Physical or temporal closeness of the group.

3. Number – Number of people in the group.

How do strength and immediacy affect conformity?

The more important and physically/psychologically close the group is, the stronger the pressure to conform.

Give examples of strength and immediacy effects from research.

• Railroad workers conformed more to co-workers’ safety norms than to management’s (Turner et al., 2010).

• Friends’ exercise habits influenced women more than healthcare workers’ advice (Wilson & Spink, 2009).

• University students’ attendance matched perceived peer norms (Bassili, 2008).

What did Tafarodi, Kang, & Milne (2002) find about bicultural conformity?

Chinese-Canadian women reminded of their visible-minority status conformed more to majority (European-Canadian) opinions, seeking acceptance.

How does group size affect conformity according to Asch (1955)?

Conformity rises with group size up to about 4–5 people, after which additional members have little effect.

What did Campbell & Fairey (1989) find about group size and type of influence?

Group size matters most when normative influence is operating (clear wrong answers); it matters less under informational influence (ambiguous situations).

How does unanimity affect conformity?

Conformity is strongest when the group is unanimous; having even one ally greatly reduces pressure to conform (Asch, 1955).

By how much did conformity drop when Asch added one ally?

It fell from about 32% to just 6%, showing that a single dissenter empowers resistance to normative influence.

What real-world phenomenon does the “ally effect” help explain?

Why minority or fringe belief groups (e.g., Hollow Earth believers) persist—mutual support within a group reduces conformity to mainstream rejection.

What emotional factors drive normative social influence?

Fear of rejection, ridicule, punishment, or appearing foolish—even among strangers.

What overall conclusion did Moscovici (1985) draw from Asch’s research?

Asch’s experiments dramatically illustrate conformity—people often “turn their backs on reality and truth” to avoid social disapproval.

How does normative social influence appear in everyday life?

It appears when people follow social conventions—like fashion trends or behavior norms—to fit in with others. Even if not “slaves to fashion,” people still conform to what is socially accepted at the time.

What is an example of normative social influence related to body image?

Cultural norms defining attractiveness—especially the Western emphasis on thinness for women—reflect normative social influence, as individuals feel pressure to conform to unrealistic ideals.

Why do cultural ideals of body shape differ between societies?

Judith Anderson et al. (1992) found that in societies with scarce food, plumpness is preferred because it signals health and fertility. In societies with reliable food supplies, slenderness becomes ideal.

How have North American beauty standards for women changed over time?

Early 20th century and 1940s favored curvy bodies; 1960s onward (Twiggy era) introduced the ultra-thin ideal, which continues today and has intensified since the 1990s.

How do racial and cultural factors affect body image standards in North America?

Research shows Black women tend to have greater acceptance of larger, curvier bodies than White women (Dawson-Andoh et al., 2010). Japanese women, however, have increasingly adopted Westernized thin ideals since WWII.

How do women learn cultural standards of attractiveness?

Through family, peers, and especially media representations, which communicate what is considered desirable or unattractive.

What did the York University “Do These Norms Make Me Look Fat?” study show?

Women adjusted their ideal body size based on perceived peer norms—those told peers preferred thinness chose thinner ideals; those told peers preferred heavier bodies chose heavier ideals.

What consistent message is found across media in North America regarding female attractiveness?

“Thin is beautiful.” Media portrayals consistently reinforce thinness as the ideal standard (Barriga et al., 2009; Fouts & Burggraf, 2000).

What contradiction exists between media ideals and real women’s bodies?

The idealized models’ weights are often classified as “dangerously thin” by health officials, while average North American women have become heavier—widening the gap between reality and ideals.

What experimental evidence links media exposure and body dissatisfaction?

Women exposed to thin models (e.g., Victoria’s Secret ads) reported lower appearance-based self-esteem and greater body dissatisfaction than those shown neutral images (Strahan et al., 2008).

How did Wan et al. (2013) distinguish between subtle and blatant exposure to thin models?

Subtle exposure (e.g., rating sunglasses on thin models) decreased body satisfaction; blatant exposure (rating models’ attractiveness) led to defensive self-enhancement.

What are the consequences of the thinness ideal?

It contributes to body dissatisfaction, which is linked to eating disorders, unhealthy exercise, depression, and low self-esteem.

What are the statistics on eating disorders in Canada?

Nearly 1 million Canadians suffer from eating disorders, with girls and women 10× more likely than men. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness (1 in 10).

How has normative social influence affected men’s body image?

Men are increasingly pressured to achieve muscular “ideal” bodies, mirroring the body dissatisfaction women have long experienced.

What did Pope et al. (1999) find in their G.I. Joe study?

Action figures became dramatically more muscular from 1964 to 1998, far exceeding human proportions—reflecting shifting cultural norms toward hypermuscular male ideals.

What trends did Pope et al. (2000) observe in magazine ads?

Male nudity in ads increased from under 5% in 1950 to 35% by 1995, indicating rising emphasis on male body exposure and sexualization.

What did Pope et al. (2000) find when asking men to adjust computer images of ideal bodies?

Men across cultures idealized bodies with ~12.5 kg more muscle than their own, believing that’s what women found attractive—though women preferred more average physiques.

How are adolescent males reacting to body ideals?

They increasingly pursue muscular physiques using unhealthy methods—crash dieting, steroids, or supplements—to achieve the “six-pack” body.

What link was found between body ideals and male body dissatisfaction?

Pressure to be muscular correlates with body dissatisfaction, depression, and disordered eating among men, including gay and bisexual men (Brennan et al., 2012).

What did Obeid et al. (2018) find about adolescent boys and body esteem?

Media internalization of muscular ideals lowered appearance self-esteem and increased body dissatisfaction among male youth (Grades 7–12).

What role do media and magazines play in shaping male body concerns?

Reading men’s magazines like Men’s Health or Maxim correlates with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating (Hatoum & Belle, 2004; Slater & Tiggemann, 2014).

What intervention reduced the impact of appearance norms (Strahan et al., 2008)?

Adolescents participated in workshops debunking unrealistic ideals, analyzing photo editing, and creating anti-norm posters. It reduced internalization of appearance norms—especially for girls.

What is minority influence?

It’s when a small number of individuals (a minority) influence the majority’s behavior or beliefs, often through informational social influence.

What is the key factor for minority influence to succeed?

Consistency. The minority must maintain a clear, unified, and unwavering message over time to be taken seriously (Moscovici, 1985).

How does minority influence differ from majority influence?

Majority influence works through normative pressure (desire for approval), while minority influence works through informational pressure (provoking critical evaluation and genuine belief change).

What example illustrates successful minority influence?

Early climate scientists in the 1970s warned about human-caused global warming—once a minority stance, now widely accepted.

How can minority groups influence dominant groups in reducing discrimination?

When reminded of multiculturalism (valuing diverse contributions), minority members feel empowered and can influence majority members’ views (Vorauer & Quesnel, 2017).

What message was most effective for empowering minority group members?

A multiculturalism message—emphasizing unique group contributions—led to greater influence and perceived power, compared to color-blind or anti-racism messages.

How do minorities typically produce private acceptance?

Through informational social influence, presenting new evidence that prompts deeper thought and internal belief change among the majority.

In contrast, what does majority influence usually produce?

Public compliance without genuine belief change, due to the desire to fit in or avoid conflict.

What is compliance in social psychology?

Compliance is a change in behaviour in response to a direct request from another person. It involves saying "yes" to something you might not have otherwise agreed to—such as a salesperson upselling you or a charity asking for donations.

What are the three major compliance techniques?

1. Door-in-the-face technique

2. Foot-in-the-door technique

3. Lowballing

What is the door-in-the-face technique?

A compliance strategy where a large, unreasonable request is made first (expected to be refused), followed by a smaller, more reasonable request, which people are more likely to accept.

Why does the door-in-the-face technique work?

It works because when the requester “backs down” from a large to a smaller request, people feel the requester is doing them a favour. This creates a reciprocity norm—a sense of obligation to return the favour and appear reasonable.

What is the foot-in-the-door technique?

A compliance method where people are first asked to agree to a small request, which increases the likelihood they’ll agree to a larger request later.

How does the foot-in-the-door technique differ from the door-in-the-face technique?

• Foot-in-the-door: starts small → big (consistency & self-perception).

• Door-in-the-face: starts big → small (reciprocity & obligation).

What famous study demonstrated the foot-in-the-door effect?

Freedman & Fraser (1966) asked homeowners to put a large “Drive Carefully” sign in their yards.

• Only 17% agreed outright.

• But when first asked to sign a safe driving petition, 55% later agreed to the big sign.

This shows small initial commitments create self-perception as a “helpful person,” leading to later compliance.

What psychological mechanism explains the foot-in-the-door effect?

Self-perception theory — agreeing to a small request makes people see themselves as cooperative or helpful, increasing their likelihood of agreeing to larger, consistent requests.

What is the lowballing technique?

A compliance method where a person agrees to a deal at a low cost, and then the cost is raised. Despite the change, many still go through with it.

What classic example illustrates lowballing?

At a car dealership, a salesperson offers a car for $20,000, then later claims a “mistake” and raises it to $22,499. Most people still buy the car even though the initial “bargain” is gone.

Why does lowballing work?

1. Illusion of irrevocability: The act of signing creates a feeling of commitment.

2. Anticipation: People imagine the reward (e.g., owning the car) and don’t want to lose it.

3. Rationalization: The new price seems only slightly higher than alternatives, so people justify continuing.

What is obedience in social psychology?

Obedience is a form of conformity where behaviour changes in response to a command from an authority figure.

What key question did Stanley Milgram investigate?

“To what extent will ordinary people obey authority figures—even when asked to harm another person?”

Describe the basic setup of Milgram’s experiment.

• “Teachers” (participants) delivered electric shocks to a “learner” for wrong answers.

• Shocks increased from 15V to 450V, labelled up to “XXX.”

• The learner (an actor) screamed in pain but received no real shocks.

• The experimenter instructed participants to continue.

What were the results of Milgram’s experiment?

• 62.5% of participants delivered the full 450V shock.

• Average maximum shock: 360V.

• 80% continued after hearing the learner’s cries and pleas to stop.

How did participants react emotionally during Milgram’s study?

Many showed intense distress—trembling, sweating, stuttering, and nervous breakdown-like reactions—yet continued to obey.

Did Milgram’s findings generalize across demographics?

Yes. Obedience rates were consistent across age, gender, and occupation (blue-collar, white-collar, professional). Later replications (Burger, 2009; Dolinski et al., 2017) found similar obedience levels decades later.

What are the two key social influences that explain obedience in Milgram’s study?

1. Normative social influence – Desire to be liked or approved of by the authority.

2. Informational social influence – Looking to the authority figure for guidance in an ambiguous or confusing situation.

How did normative influence contribute to obedience in Milgram’s study?

Participants feared disappointing or angering the authority figure. The experimenter’s commands (“It is absolutely essential that you continue”) created social pressure to comply.

What variation of Milgram’s study demonstrated resistance through social support?

When two confederate “teachers” refused to continue at 150V and 210V, only 10% of participants went to the full 450V—showing that seeing peers disobey reduces conformity.

How did informational influence affect obedience?

The ambiguous situation and the experimenter’s apparent expertise led participants to trust his guidance—believing the shocks were painful but not dangerous.

What happened when the authority figure was removed or non-expert?

Obedience dropped drastically—from 65% to 20%—showing that perceived expertise is crucial for informational influence.

What modern findings support Milgram’s conclusions?

Studies at UBC and elsewhere show obedience remains high when an authority figure appears knowledgeable, but drops when their expertise or presence is removed.