13-7 Conformity Compliance and Obedience

conformity

The tendency to change beliefs or behaviors to match those of a group. This can occur due to real or perceived social pressure.

compliance

The act of conforming to a request or demand, often influenced by external social pressures or expectations.

door-in-the-face

A compliance technique where a large request is made first, expecting refusal, followed by a smaller, more reasonable request.

foot-in-the-door

A compliance technique where a small request is made first to gain agreement, followed by a larger request.

lowballing

A compliance technique where an initial attractive offer is made to gain commitment, followed by revealing additional costs or downsides after the commitment has been made.

Stanford Prison Experiment

A psychological study conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971 to investigate the effects of perceived power in a simulated prison environment, demonstrating how situational factors can influence behavior.

Reciprocation

A social norm where individuals feel obligated to return favors or acts of kindness, often leading to compliance with requests from those who have provided a benefit.

obedience

The act of following orders or instructions from an authority figure, often resulting in compliance with directives that individuals might not typically endorse.

Milgram Experiment

A to examine obedience to authority, where participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to another person, revealing the extent to which ordinary individuals would follow orders despite moral objections.