Conformity

  • 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.