Conformity & Obedience Pg. 594-600

Conformity

When one person modifies their attitudes and behaviour to make them consistent with those of other people.

People who conform bring their behaviour in line with that of a group.

What are some examples of conformity?

Social Norms

Explicit Norms = are spoken or written rules. E.g. Traffic rules & school dress codes

Implicit Norms = are unspoken, unwritten rules.

E.g. ways of greeting people (nod of the head)

Bystander Affect

Abduction

A Hurt Person

Why didn’t some do something? What norms were being used and what are some examples?

Asch’s Line Experiment

Ash’s Line Experiment is a prime example of conforming to others.

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

Match The Line on the Right with the One on the Left

The Results

And yet in a classic psychology experiment conducted in the 1950s, 76% of people denied their own senses at least once.

When done with one other person disagreeing, a relationship is formed.

Did our experiment give the same results? Why or why not?

What kinds of norms did we use?

Our Results

TRIAL # A B C Haben

1 7 2 1 A X

2 3 1 6 B

3 5 5 C X

4 3 7 B

5 6 1 3 B

6 10 C X

7 2 1 7 C X

Trial #1 He conformed to A because everyone before him said A.Trial #2 Mixed answers before him enabling him to answer correctly.Trial #3 Everyone before him said C.Trial #4 One person answered correctly before him enabling him.Trial #5 Everyone answered A before him except one answered C = mixed.Trial #6 All answered CTrial #7 Last one. Correct answer B. All before him answered C.

Why do People Conform?

List as many ways as you can think of why people conform. How does conforming affect us? Give an example?

Why People Conform

1. Cultural Influences; some cultures place more emphasis on the group than on the individual group’s members.

2. Need for Acceptance; in order to be liked and accepted. (low self-esteem and high social anxiety).

3. Size; increases until 8, then little affect

4. Individuals are more likely conform when all other members are united.

Milgrim’s Shock Experiment

A Shocking Result

Individually: Why were people willing to obey even though they knew they were hurting the learner? Give a few reasons why?

Why People Obey

1. People tend to be obedient to people they have been socialized to believe are authority figures.

2. Age3. Profession4. Foot-in-the-door effect = once someone

has given into minor demands they are more likely to give into major demands E.g. Milgram’s Experiment & Military

Why People Obey

5. When people are buffered, or protected, from observing the consequences of their actions, they are more likely to follow orders, even immoral ones.

E.g. In separate rooms; soldiers from enemies.

Why People Obeyed in Milgram’s Experiment

1. Fear or intimidation

2. Consequence – The experiment would end

3. An senior, calm experimenter; who was about the age of the participants parents

4. They weren’t really hurting the learners – there was no lasting damage

5. They started the experiment and now the must finish it

6. Couldn’t see the learners so could only go on what they heard and the experimenter told them

Cults

A cult is a religious sect that is generally considered extreme. Cult followers often live in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.

People’s Temple Heaven’s Gate

What do these cults have in common?

They are all Doomsday Cults with the following characteristics.

• Claim division between the people of the cult and the rest of the world

• The world is against their cult• They have a vision of an apocalyptic

showdown between the cult and the world• They view their cult leader as a messiah or

world dictator.

How Do We Make Sense of Cults?

What’s so appealing about the group that so many people joined it voluntarily? aka – What needs was the group fulfilling that were not being met by society?

Groups Needs

Belonging LoveAcceptance Affirmation

SupportCommunity Purpose

A Shoulder to Lean On

Know where to go and how to Act