Outline Discuss paper assignments Discuss paper assignments Student input on aesthetics rsch. Student input on aesthetics rsch. Social Influence Social Influence

Social Influence

Social Influence and Conformity Social Influence: Social Influence: How individual behavior is influenced by other people and groups How individual behavior is influenced by other people and groups Conformity: Conformity: Tendency to change our behavior/beliefs/perceptions in ways that are consistent with group norms Tendency to change our behavior/beliefs/perceptions in ways that are consistent with group norms Norms: Accepted ways of thinking, feeling, behaving Norms: Accepted ways of thinking, feeling, behaving

1) Informational influence 1) Informational influence Look to others for information Look to others for information EXAMPLE: Sherif's (1936) autokinetic effect studies EXAMPLE: Sherif's (1936) autokinetic effect studies Why Do We Conform to the Group?

Conformity with the Autokinetic Task

What’s Going On? People need to be certain + confident in the correctness of their actions People need to be certain + confident in the correctness of their actions The situation was ambiguous and uncertain The situation was ambiguous and uncertain People looked to others to help define “reality” People looked to others to help define “reality” Once developed, the norm persists beyond the immediate situation Once developed, the norm persists beyond the immediate situation

Ambiguity and the Desire to be Accurate High motivation to be accurate: Increases conformity in people who are uncertain about their judgments or opinions. Decreases conformity in people who are certain.

Ambiguity and the Desire to be Accurate Baron, Vandello, & Brunsman (1996): asked groups of students to choose a criminal suspect from a line-up. Some saw the pictures so quickly it was hard to be certain about their judgments. Others had ample time. In addition, some students were motivated to be accurate with the promise of a $20 prize; others had no incentive (were not motivated to be accurate).

Baron et al. (1996) Conformity (or not) to an incorrect majority opinion as a function of motivation and task- difficulty (uncertainty)

Newcomb All conformity experiments are not artificial All conformity experiments are not artificial Newcomb’s Bennington College Study Newcomb’s Bennington College Study Women at Bennington college in Vermont during the 1930s Women at Bennington college in Vermont during the 1930s Assess “conservatism” vs. “liberalism” Assess “conservatism” vs. “liberalism” Women became increasingly more liberal as they progressed from freshmen to senior year Women became increasingly more liberal as they progressed from freshmen to senior year Attitude change was particularly strong in women who strongly identified with college groups (e.g., faculty, upperclassmen) Attitude change was particularly strong in women who strongly identified with college groups (e.g., faculty, upperclassmen)

Newcomb– Bennington Political Norms Class Mean Attitude Score More conservative More liberal

Newcomb– Bennington Political Norms Mean Attitude Score More conservative More liberal

Informational Social Influence Informational influence likely to lead to private acceptance (conversion) of what is correct Informational influence likely to lead to private acceptance (conversion) of what is correct When Will People Conform to Informational Social Influence? When Will People Conform to Informational Social Influence? 1. Ambiguous Situation 1. Ambiguous Situation 2. Crisis Situation 2. Crisis Situation 3. Others Are Experts 3. Others Are Experts

"Do as most do, and [people] will speak well of thee" "Do as most do, and [people] will speak well of thee" -Thomas Fuller 2) Normative influence 2) Normative influence We want to be liked, accepted and to fit in We want to be liked, accepted and to fit in We don’t want to look foolish We don’t want to look foolish EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Asch’s (1950s) conformity studies Asch’s (1950s) conformity studies Why Do We Conform to the Group?

Asch's (1955) Conformity Studies Standard LineComparison Lines Trial 1

1 2 3 Standard LineComparison Lines Trial 2 Asch's (1955) Conformity Studies

1 2 3 Standard LineComparison Lines Trial 3 Asch's (1955) Conformity Studies

Procedures: Procedures: One subject, six or more confederates One subject, six or more confederates Which line is the same length as the standard? Which line is the same length as the standard? People reported answers out loud, one at a time People reported answers out loud, one at a time Subject always last Subject always last On 12 of 18 trials, confederates answered incorrectly On 12 of 18 trials, confederates answered incorrectly Results: Asch's (1955) Conformity Studies

Normative Social Influence The group exerts normative influence by instilling a fear of appearing deviant The group exerts normative influence by instilling a fear of appearing deviant Likely to leads to public conformity (compliance) (surface behavior change) in people Likely to leads to public conformity (compliance) (surface behavior change) in people

Two Types of Social Influence Informational influence Informational influence A person uses his or her peers as a source of information A person uses his or her peers as a source of information Interprets events in the light of social reality Interprets events in the light of social reality Often seen in ambiguous situations Often seen in ambiguous situations EG: Sherif, Newcomb EG: Sherif, Newcomb Normative influence Normative influence A person adopts the behavior of his or her peers A person adopts the behavior of his or her peers to secure social acceptance or avoid social rejection to secure social acceptance or avoid social rejection EG: Asch EG: Asch Proposed that conformity in Sherif situation resulted from ambiguity of stimulus Proposed that conformity in Sherif situation resulted from ambiguity of stimulus Hence, created unambiguous test situation in which conformity should be unlikely Hence, created unambiguous test situation in which conformity should be unlikely

Factors that Influence Conformity Group characteristics Group characteristics Size Size Conformity increases as “majority” increases from 1-4 Conformity increases as “majority” increases from 1-4 Little if any further increase for majorities of 5-12 Little if any further increase for majorities of 5-12 Conformity as a Function of Group Size in Asch’s Paradigm

Factors that Influence Conformity Group characteristics Group characteristics An ally in dissent: An ally in dissent: One “correct dissent” reduces conformity rates markedly One “correct dissent” reduces conformity rates markedly Even one “incorrect dissent” is as effective Even one “incorrect dissent” is as effective

Factors that Influence Conformity Sex differences Sex differences Early evidence: women conformed more than men Early evidence: women conformed more than men In general, sex differences are weak and unreliable In general, sex differences are weak and unreliable Depends on type of task Depends on type of task Stereotypically male or female Stereotypically male or female Observed or not observed task Observed or not observed task

Reinterpreting “Non-Conformity” in Males Eagly et al. (1981): Eagly et al. (1981): Conformity is in part a form of impression management Conformity is in part a form of impression management Men, rather than simply being more independent, desire to be perceived as independent by others Men, rather than simply being more independent, desire to be perceived as independent by others Suggests men will be more sensitive than women to being observed by others Suggests men will be more sensitive than women to being observed by others Use informational conformity task Use informational conformity task Answers observed or not observed by others Answers observed or not observed by others

Eagly et al. (1981) % showing conformity Tentative interpretation: Men’s apparent non- conformity is a way of conforming to social expectations for males. Experimental Condition

Factors that Influence Conformity Cultural Differences in Conformity Cultural Differences in Conformity Cultural orientations: Cultural orientations: Individualism: Individualism: emphasizes independence, autonomy, and self-reliance emphasizes independence, autonomy, and self-reliance Collectivism: Collectivism: emphasizes interdependence, cooperation, and social harmony emphasizes interdependence, cooperation, and social harmony Conformity rates are generally higher in collectivist cultures Conformity rates are generally higher in collectivist cultures Berry (1967): Cultures differ Berry (1967): Cultures differ in the degree to which individual judgment is valued in the degree to which individual judgment is valued and in the consequences for non-conformity and in the consequences for non-conformity “Western individualistic” (Scotland) “Western individualistic” (Scotland) “Non-western individualistic” (Baffin Island Innuit) “Non-western individualistic” (Baffin Island Innuit) “Non-western collectivist” (Temne of Sierra Leone) “Non-western collectivist” (Temne of Sierra Leone) Note: Note: used variant of original Asch line-judgment task used variant of original Asch line-judgment task

Cross-Cultural Differences in Conformity (Berry, 1967) Mean # of Conforming Trials Related evidence: Conformity for Chinese > American (Huang & Harris, 1973) Conformity for Japanese > American (Matsuda, 1985) Culture

Class Discussion Sometimes we value conformity, encouraging people to be a good team player and criticizing nonconformists as deviants or rebels. Sometimes we complain about conformity, encouraging people to stand up for themselves and criticizing conformists for going along with the crowd. Use specific examples to discuss the pros and cons of conformity. Sometimes we value conformity, encouraging people to be a good team player and criticizing nonconformists as deviants or rebels. Sometimes we complain about conformity, encouraging people to stand up for themselves and criticizing conformists for going along with the crowd. Use specific examples to discuss the pros and cons of conformity.