Giving in to social pressure conformity Giving in to social pressure

definitions Conformity - acting or believing because of social pressure compliance - doing what someone asks you to do

conformity Everyone else is doing it Deliberate social pressure not necessarily because you think it is right

Sherif’s study point of light in dark room appears to move Autokinetic effect impossible to judge distance someone says 2 inches subject agrees

Asch Judgments of lines easy to make

10 of 15

First few trials everyone gives right answer then everyone gives wrong answer what does the subject do? many give the wrong answer

13 of 15

15 of 15

Why do people conform? Two main reasons Information Normative

Informational Sherif situation ambiguous, no experience others provide information rational response

Normative pressure Asch situation – clear, unambiguous just because other do not want to be deviant

Obedience and compliance compliance - doing what someone asks you to do Obedience – similar but less choice

Milgram Study Not conformity - no group pressure Obedience but why?

Does it mean people are terrible. That they will do anything Does it mean people are terrible? That they will do anything? That it explains Nazi behavior? Or Bosnia, Cambodia etc.?

NO! Given the right situation people will comply or be obedient not necessarily bad or weak people

Situational pressure Authority figure strange situation told there was no choice trust experimenter also - psychology experiment very powerful contract

The power of the experiment Orne - hypnosis study hypnotized pretend to be hypnotized neither

Ask each person to: Reach into cage with snake pick dime out of nitric acid throw acid in person’s face

results

results Controls did quite a lot hypnotized did more than controls pretend did even more than hypnotized

Compliance - other factors

the Hawthorne effect Move to special room pay depended on groups of sex two 5 minute rest periods two 10 minute rest periods six 5 minute rest periods light lunch provided

Work stopped half-hour early work stopped an hour early work stopped an hour and half early five day workweek (from six) all original conditions reinstated

Work increased with every change results Work increased with every change

Why? Special treatment felt good assumed changes were for the better were happy and wanted to please were compliant

Foot-in-the-door Small request first vs. no small request large request later

No first contact agree only agree and 8 questions 3 days later - large request

results

huge sign for safe driving Safe driving study Petition for environment petition for safe driving Small sign for environment small sign for safe driving huge sign for safe driving

results

door-in-the-face huge request first small request second

results

Obligation - favors Pleasant or unpleasant person person brings a coke experimenter brings a coke no coke person asks a favor - selling raffle tickets

results

reactance Jack Brehm too much pressure or too obvious resist threats to freedom of action opposite effect