12.4 Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience
3 min read•june 25, 2024
Ever wonder why we sometimes do things just because everyone else is? is a powerful force that shapes our behavior, often without us even realizing it. From conforming to group norms to obeying figures, our actions are heavily influenced by those around us.
Famous experiments by Asch and Milgram revealed just how strong this influence can be. Asch showed people will conform to clearly wrong answers, while Milgram found most would obey orders to harm others. These studies highlight how social pressure can override our own judgment and ethics.
Social Influence and Behavior
Conformity, Compliance, Obedience
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- Social influence shapes individual behavior through the presence and actions of others which can directly or indirectly impact thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
- involves changing one's behavior to match others, driven by the desire to be accepted, liked, or correct, and can occur in group settings or when perceiving others' opinions
- means agreeing to a request from someone, often influenced by their authority, expertise, or likeability, and can be achieved through techniques like the foot-in-the-door (starting with a small request and gradually increasing) or door-in-the-face (starting with a large request and then settling for a smaller one)
- involves following direct orders from an authority figure, influenced by the perceived legitimacy of the authority, the presence of other obedient individuals, and the gradual escalation of requests
- are unwritten rules guiding behavior in specific situations or societies, which can be descriptive (what is typically done) or injunctive (what should be done), and individuals often conform to these norms to avoid disapproval or gain acceptance
Asch's Conformity Experiments
- studied conformity in the 1950s through experiments where participants judged line lengths in a group setting
- Groups consisted of confederates (aware of the experiment) and one naive participant
- Confederates unanimously gave incorrect answers in certain trials
- Asch found 75% of participants conformed to the group's incorrect answer at least once
- Conformity rates decreased when at least one confederate gave the correct answer, participants answered privately, or participants were not face-to-face with the group
- Asch's experiments demonstrated the power of social pressure and the tendency to conform to the majority, even when clearly wrong
Milgram's Obedience Studies
- conducted obedience experiments in the 1960s where participants were instructed by an authority figure to administer increasingly severe electric shocks to a "learner" (confederate) for incorrect answers
- The "learner" was not actually shocked, but the participant was unaware of this
- Milgram found 65% of participants administered the highest level of shock (450 volts) when ordered
- Factors contributing to obedience in Milgram's studies include the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure (experimenter), gradual nature of requests (starting with low-voltage shocks and increasing incrementally), presence of other obedient participants (in some variations), lack of direct contact with the "learner" (in some variations, the "learner" was in a separate room), and belief that the experiment served a worthy scientific purpose
- Milgram's studies highlighted the powerful influence of authority and the potential for individuals to engage in harmful actions when ordered by an authority figure
Key Terms to Review (20)
Asch Effect: The Asch effect refers to the tendency of individuals to conform to the opinions and behaviors of a group, even when those opinions or behaviors are clearly incorrect. This phenomenon demonstrates the powerful influence that social pressure can have on individual decision-making and behavior.
Authority: Authority refers to the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. It is the ability to influence the behavior and actions of others through legitimate means, such as position, expertise, or social status.
Bystander Effect: The bystander effect refers to the phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present. It describes how the presence of others can inhibit an individual's willingness to intervene in an emergency situation or provide assistance.
Cognitive Dissonance: Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when an individual holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time. It describes the tension that arises when a person's behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs are inconsistent with one another.
Compliance: Compliance refers to the act of conforming or yielding to a request, command, or proposal. It involves the voluntary or involuntary acceptance of another's influence, often in the context of social interactions and interpersonal dynamics.
Conformity: Conformity is the act of aligning one's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors with the norms or expectations of a group or society. It is a fundamental concept in social psychology that describes how individuals often modify their actions or beliefs to match those of the people around them.
Deindividuation: Deindividuation is a psychological state in which people lose their sense of individual identity and become part of a larger group, often leading to a decrease in self-awareness and an increase in conformity, compliance, and aggression.
Groupthink: Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people, in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. It is a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the group's solidarity and desire for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.
Informational Influence: Informational influence is the process by which individuals change their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors based on the information or evidence provided by others. It is a form of social influence that occurs when people use the opinions and behaviors of others as a guide for their own decision-making and actions.
Institutional Review Boards: Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are committees responsible for reviewing and approving research involving human participants to ensure ethical standards and the protection of individuals' rights and well-being. These boards play a crucial role in the context of both ethical considerations in psychology and the study of conformity, compliance, and obedience.
Milgram's Obedience Experiment: Milgram's obedience experiment was a series of studies conducted by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s that examined the extent to which people would obey authority figures and inflict harm on others. The experiment revealed the surprising degree to which ordinary people would comply with instructions to administer what they believed were severe and potentially lethal electric shocks to a stranger.
Normative Influence: Normative influence refers to the pressure individuals feel to conform to the expectations and behaviors of a social group or society. It is a powerful force that shapes human behavior and decision-making, often leading people to adopt attitudes, beliefs, and actions that align with the perceived norms of their social environment.
Obedience: Obedience is the act of complying with the commands or instructions of an authority figure, even if those directives conflict with one's personal beliefs or moral principles. It is a key concept in the study of conformity, compliance, and obedience within the field of social psychology.
Peer Pressure: Peer pressure refers to the influence that people of the same age, background, or social group can have on an individual's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is a powerful social force that can lead individuals to conform to the norms, attitudes, and actions of their peers, even if those choices go against their own personal beliefs or preferences.
Social Identity Theory: Social Identity Theory is a psychological theory that explains how individuals derive a sense of identity and self-worth from the social groups they belong to. It suggests that people categorize themselves and others into different social groups, and then use these group memberships to define their own identity and self-concept.
Social Influence: Social influence is the process by which individuals or groups can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of others. It is a fundamental concept in social psychology that explores how people's actions, attitudes, and beliefs are shaped by the presence and actions of others around them.
Social Loafing: Social loafing is the phenomenon where individuals exert less effort on a task when working in a group compared to when working individually. It is a form of social influence that can negatively impact group performance and productivity.
Social Norms: Social norms are the unwritten rules and expectations that guide and constrain people's behavior within a particular social group or culture. They represent the commonly accepted and appropriate ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving in a given social context.
Solomon Asch: Solomon Asch was a renowned social psychologist who conducted groundbreaking experiments on conformity, examining how individuals are influenced by the opinions and behaviors of others in a group setting. His work has become a cornerstone in the understanding of social influence and its impact on human decision-making and behavior.
Stanley Milgram: Stanley Milgram was a social psychologist who conducted a series of groundbreaking experiments in the 1960s that explored the human tendency to obey authority figures, even when their instructions conflicted with personal moral beliefs. His research on conformity, compliance, and obedience has had a lasting impact on our understanding of human behavior and social psychology.