Conformity and Obedience

1. Conformity and Obedience Dr. Sanchez

2. Majority Influence: Having an Ally in Dissent • When there was an ally in Asch’s study, conformity dropped by almost 80%. • Why does having an ally reduce majority influence on our behavior? • More difficult to stand alone than with others • Any dissent can reduce the normative pressures to conform.

3. Majority Influence and Gender Differences • IV: Masculine, Feminine, or Stereotype Neutral Q’s • DV: Percent agreeing w/majority response • Results? • Men conformed more to feminine qs • Women conformed more to masculine qs • No difference on neutral items

4. Majority Influence and Gender Differences • Conceptual IV: Social Pressure • IV: Public v. Private • DV: Percent agreeing w/majority response • Results? • Men conformed less • Women conformed more • Why?

5. Majority Influence and Gender Differences • Sex differences appear to depend on: • How comfortable people are with the experimental task. • Type of social pressure people face.

6. Majority Influence and Culture • Cultures differ in the extent to which people adhere to social norms. • What determines whether a culture becomes individualistic or collectivistic? • The complexity of the society. • The affluence of the society. • The heterogeneity of the society.

7. US Australia Great Britain Canada Netherlands Asia Africa South America Individualistic / Collectivistic

8. Non-Conformists • Asch’s study = 63% did not conform!!!

9. Minority Influence • Def. Process by which dissenters produce change • Moscovici: Nonconformists derive power from the style of their behavior. • “Consistent dissent” approach • “The color study” • Why?

10. Minority Influence • Hollander: Minorities influence by first accumulating idiosyncrasy credits. • “First conform, then dissent” strategy. • Why?

11. How Does Minority Influence Work? • Does minority influence work just like the process of conformity? • Dual Process Approach • Because of their power and control, majorities elicit public conformity through normative pressures. • Because seen as seriously committed to their views, minorities produce private conformity, or conversion.

12. Majority vs. Minority Influence • Relative impact of each depends on whether the judgment that is being made is objective or subjective. • Fact = Majority Rules • Opinion = Minority & Majority influence • The relative effects of majority and minority viewpoints depend on how conformity is measured. • Direct, public measures vs. more indirect, private measures of conformity. • Benefits of minority influence

13. Obedience • Behavior change produced by the commands of authority • Remember: • Compliance is a behavior change elicited by a direct request • Conformity is a change of perceptions, opinions, or behaviors in ways that are consistent with group norms

14. Milgram’s Research: Forces of Destructive Obedience • Conducted his experiments during the time that Adolph Eichmann was being tried for Nazi war crimes. • Symbols of authority • His unorthodox methods have been the subject of much ethical debate.

15. The Prods Used in Milgram’s Experiment • “Please continue (or please go on).” • “The experiment requires that you continue.” • “It is absolutely essential that you continue.” • “You have no other choice; you must go on.”

16. Milgram’s Baseline Results

17. The Obedient Participant • No gender differences observed in level of obedience. • Milgram’s basic findings have been replicated in several different countries and among different age groups. • Milgram’s participants were tormented by experience.

18. Are We All Nazis? • No, an individual’s character can make a difference. • Authoritarian Personality: Submissive toward figures of authority but aggressive toward subordinates.