Social Influence Conformity Essay examples - 763 Words

Sherif (1936) studied responses of the auto-kinetic effect on both groups and individuals. By placing participants in a darkened room with a minute source of light at the far end he discovered that participants were eluded and saw the light moving - this was because there was no other point of reference for them to focus on. Participants were asked how far the light was moving, when alone they would state many different answers but when groups were tested the answers of the last participants were taken as a reference for the next answer this created a group norm, this group influence was to be so powerful that when participants of the group test were to proceed as individuals those answers had become internalised and a lack of†¦show more content†¦the students found the correct answer 99% of the time. Asch sent for one student at a time and met with them individually at first and then with a number of confederates, the 8 test was repeated three times with each participant . This time the answer was to be given out loud to the rest of the room, the first and second time all students were in agreement but on the third the confederates were instructed to give the wrong answer. In a reported 33% of these cases the subject student fell into conformity and agreed with the group. (Sixth Edition, understanding Human Behaviour, James V. McConnell, 1988,) The main arguments against this study are that it is reductionist by only involving students, this cannot be generalised, but allowences must be made for variations within rest of the population, i.e. sex, age and cultural background, therefor it would be incorrect of Asch to generalise and say that this study proves that a third of all people will conform in this type of situation. Although many variables were tested it is inconceivable to think that a final formula or figure can be put on levels of conformity. A point of common criticism for both Sherif and Aschs work is the point of demand characteristi cs which motivates participants to conform to the pre-conceived idea of what the experimenter would expect of them.( aShow MoreRelatedConformity Is A Type Of Social Influence1596 Words   |  7 PagesConformity is one of the basic characteristics of human behavior. According to Saul McLeod (2016), â€Å"conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group.† Humans as a species have always exhibited behavior implying that they have a desire to socially connect to some type of group. Everyone conforms at some point in some shape or form, even if it is not deliberate or drastic. Western cultures, especially the United States, claim to holdRead MoreConformity Is A Type Of Social Influence Essay2490 Words   |  10 Pagesconcepts and/or theories associated with a topic: a) Conformity is a type of social influence which involves a change in behaviour and belief of a minority to fit in with the group concerning real or imagined group pressures. This behaviour could be defined as the pressure to behave in ways that are viewed as acceptable by a particular group, either by a desire to ‘fit in’ or be liked. The main factor that influences conformity are social norms. Social Norms are a pattern of expected behaviour in certainRead MoreMajor Categories Of Social Influence : Conformity, Compliance, And Obedience2039 Words   |  9 Pages Social Influence Katrina Venta PSY 226 Community College of Aurora March 11, 2016 Abstract There are three major categories of social influence: conformity, compliance, and obedience. Conformity is the change of behavior to be able to fit in and gain approval from other people. Compliance, on the other hand, is when a person changes their behavior in response to being asked directly. While obedience is a response to an authority figure directing an individual (Kenrick, Neuberg,Read MoreEssay on Conformity and Political Control1353 Words   |  6 Pagesto others. Although there are many explicit forms of conformity, there are also implicit forms of conformity that affect the attitudes and behavior of people on a subconscious level. The major problem with the modern bi-partisan political system is that it is fundamentally built on the idea that people will conform to others that are associated with them socially. Chartrand and Bargh completed one of the more famous experiments on conformity in 1999 where they were able to illustrate that peopleRead MoreAnalysis of Conformity and Group Influence in Twelve Angry Men912 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of Conformity and Group Influence in Twelve Angry Men Introduction The film â€Å"Twelve Angry Men† directed by Sidney Lumet illustrates many social psychological principles. The tense, gripping storyline that takes place in the 1950s features a group of jurors who must decide unanimously whether a young man is guilty or innocent in the murder of his father. At the beginning, eleven of the twelve jurors voted guilty. Gradually, through some heated discussion, the jurors are swayed to a not-guiltyRead More12 Angry Men Groupthink Analysis724 Words   |  3 Pagesthe jury found the defendant not guilty. Even though this movie shows evidence of prejudice, groupthink, conformity, cognitive heuristics, the catalyst of change and minority influence benefitted the jury in making a unanimous, educated decision about the fate of the young man. Perhaps some of the most common patterns of thought in this movie are persuasion, conformity, and minority influence. Persuasion is the process by which people’s attitudes are changed, and this is evident in how the one manRead MoreSocial Influences on Behavior Essay1300 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Influences on Behavior Rhonda Hager PSY/300 June 25, 2012 Teresa Neal Social Influences on Behavior Introduction All humans’ behavior is affected by social influences to some extent. The level of influence will vary from person to person, depending on the several factors, such as self-esteem, their level of self-awareness, morals, and values (Velden, 2007). People do many things to ensure they are accepted by the people in their group and to keep from being ostracized by individualsRead MorePsychology is the Scientific Study of Mental and Behavioral Processing1251 Words   |  5 Pagesthe branch of social psychology. Social psychologists study the nature and causes of our behavior and mental processes in social institution (Baron Byrne, 1991). As a human being definitely we have a disparity experiences in our daily life, actually it’s the process which help us to reconstruct our behavior and adapt our self with the social environment. Regarding to understanding the social psychology the topic that will discuss more specifics in this paper include attitudes, social perception,R ead MorePsychological Processes that May Be Involved in Obedience to Authority994 Words   |  4 Pagesfigures. b) Outline the findings of one study of minority influence and give one criticism of this study. Moscovici undertook a study of minority influence in 1969. He wanted to find out whether a minority could influence a majority of naà ¯ve participants, reversing the usual direction of social influence. Moscovici found that 32% of the majority conformed at least once, showing a yielding to minority influence. However Moscovici focused on the difference between theRead MoreSocial Psychology: Social Influence768 Words   |  3 PagesIntroduction Social influence is a major topic in social psychology and looks at how individual thoughts, actions, reactions and feelings are influenced by other people or social groups. â€Å"Social influence can be seen in our conformity, our obedience to authority, and our group behavior† (Psychology 579). Social influence may also be represented by peer pressure, persuasion, marketing and sales. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to determine how effective social influence is on a group