- The process of by which an individual’s beliefs, attitudes and behaviours are influenced by others.
- Others at every scale
- necessary for social living
- Influences the formation and maintenance of social norms and allows society to function smoothly and predictably
Compliance
- A behaviour that is contrary to one’s beliefs but do it anyway to avoid punishments or rewards.
Obedience
- Act or habit of what one is told or submitting to authority
Asch Experiment
- Individuals will respond to group pressure and give responses they know to be wrong
- Normative
- confirm due to thinking the group will disapprove
- Informational
- Are convinced everyone else is right
- Power in Unanimity
- If anyone else says the same thing as you, the power of Conformity and Obedience are greatly reduced.
The Zimbardo Experiment
- The situation that you’re in will effect your behaviour
- When people are given a role that is perceived to be legitimate, they can adopt roles that they would never otherwise adopt
- Social support/Group pressure will reinforce this.
Group think
- People say/align their outspoken words with what the “rest of the group” says.