Conformity Asch study (1951) Which of the lines below is the same as the line to the right?

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1 a change in a belief or behavior with the intent to follow a perceived social norm May lead to positive or negative behaviors E.g., conforming to a norm of volunteering versus conforming to a norm of cheating on homework Asch study (1951) Which of the lines below is the same as the line to the right? What if 6 other people answered line 1 before it was your turn to answer? Some participants conformed and gave the wrong answer! Normative social influence we conform in order to with a certain group What are some of the things you do as a result of normative social influence? Informational social influence when conformity helps us make the in a situation where we aren t sure what to do What are some of the things you do as a result of normative social influence? Factors influencing conformity More people in agreement, more conformity up until about 5 Even one dissenter leads to less conformity Cultural values Individualists show conformity than collectivists How do you feel about conformity? Begin Activity 6.1 Changes in attitude or behavior in response to a direct to do so 1

2 Tendency to return a favor Cheaters Door-in-the-face technique You compromised by asking for something smaller, so I should reciprocate by Mom, can I stay out 4 hours past curfew? No? Hmmm. Well, how about 1 hour? Works best if there is little delay between requests. Commitment An emotional or intellectual bond to someone or something We like in ourselves and others Foot-in-the-door technique Mom, can I have a dollar? Thanks Oh! Actually, I need $5. Is that OK? Works best if First request is granted Small between requests Commitment helps maintain relationships. Commitment helps maintain relationships. Predicting Abuse in a Relationship - Relationship Characteristics: over a partner s whereabouts Emotional manipulation (e.g., threatening death/suicide) Monopolizing time and/or threats of punishing real/suspected infidelity Todd Shackelford/Florida Atlantic University Predicting Abuse in a Relationship Historical Characteristics (4x perpetrator; 2x victim most abusive relationships are bi-directional) Prior exposure to domestic violence Less relevant: having power assertive parents Miriam Ehrensaft 2

3 Psychology 101 Predicting Abuse in a Relationship Lethality Batterer Access to of deadly violence Jacquelyn Campbell; American Journal of Public Health (July 2003, Vol. 93, No. 7). Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results From a Multisite Case Control Study Social Proof/Consensus we are more likely to agree to something if we think have already done so. Most influential With to those already doing it Liking we are more likely to go along with someone when we see him as a person. Who do we like? Attractiveness Similarity contact Association with something we already Authority we are more likely to agree to something when an authority figure makes the request people or products seem more attractive when they are unavailable, or available for only a limited time or in limited quantity 3

4 Sometimes people respond negatively to the variables that influence compliance More likely if people feel The general principle is known as reactance (Brehm) in romance, it is known as the Romeo and Juliet effect. Begin Activity 6.3 Obedience with someone s (not just their request) Milgram s (1963) classic study Imagine you are participating in a study on the effects of punishment on learning You are randomly assigned to be the teacher, someone else to be the learner Your job is to deliver increasingly intense electric shocks to the learner for each wrong answer Obedience to Authority Milgram s (1963) classic study As you proceed, the learner starts screaming, demanding to quit, saying he has heart problems The experimenter orders you to continue What do you do? Complete story: The learner was a confederate of the experimenter No shocks were actually delivered What happened? Obedience to Authority 4

5 Obedience to Authority Psychology 101 Factors that facilitate or inhibit obedience Presence of someone who Reduced obedience to ~10% Background authority increases obedience Less obedience in an office building than at Yale Culture/sex does have much of an effect on obedience Proximity to student Proximity to 5