Download Social Norms and Conformity

Social Norms and
Conformity
SOCIAL NORMS AND ROLES
SOLOMON ASCH EXPERIMENT
FACTORS OF CONFORMITY
Today’s Learning Goals
 By the end of the lesson students can state the
following...
 I can explain social norms and the various roles
undertaken in the process of socialization on an
individual;
 I can explain and analyze the psychological impact
(need) of group cohesion (the desire to conform).
REVIEWING SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND ROLES
 Over the past few days we have discussed social
institutions as well as roles and expectations of
people within them
 We have learned that people must conform in order
for any social institution to function properly
 These expected behaviours can be referred to as a
social norm
SOCIAL NORMS
 A social norm refers to the societal expectations
that guide people’s behaviour
 Example: Students in school are expected to be obedient
by listening and following instructions, polite and
respectful to others while they are speaking, working, or
attempting to learn, etc.
 Social norms also apply to customs within a society
 Example: in Canada the law states that we shall drive on
the right-hand side of the road whereas, in Britain and
most of Europe, people drive on the left-hand side
LEVELS OF SOCIAL NORMS
Norms vary depending on the degree of formality
– how they are stated and enforced:
 Folkways –informal practices based on tradition or
expected group behaviour

Example: Saying excuse me to get around someone in your way
 Mores – norms that involve moral or ethical judgments

Example: Lying or cheating on a test
 Laws – formal rules enforced by designated individuals
within a society

Example: a law (no speeding) is enforced by signs and police officers
TYPES OF SOCIAL NORMS
There are two types of social norms:
 Prescriptive Norms tell us what to do
 Example: Saying thank you for a gift
 Proscriptive Norms tell us what not to do
 Example: Not chewing with your mouth open
 For society to function people must conform to
both types of norms most of the time
CONFORMITY
 Conformity is any behaviour that follows an
established practice or social norm (expectations for
behaviour)
 The group, the situation, and the importance of the
norm will affect the degree to which an individual
conforms

Example: Our friends can wear a wide range of clothing, but
the military requires all members to wear a uniform)
 The expected level of conformity will vary from
culture to culture and topic to topic
WHAT IF WE DON’T CONFORM?
 Conformity is a particularly important behaviour
 W/out conformity, social life simply would not exist
 There would be no churches, families, universities or
governments
 Essentially there would be no culture or social
structure b/c we would never interact or get along
BUT WHY DO PEOPLE CONFORM?
 Ppl have a natural tendency to want to ‘fit in’ (aka




conform)
Humans are social beings
We seek comfort in others for safety
Recall Harlow’s Rhesus Monkey experiments and
specifically the baby looking for security from the
cloth mother
People act in a similar manner
CONFORMITY Behaviour and Belonging
 Belonging to a group affects behaviour
Quitting Smoking Study:
 http://www.psychologytoday.com/print/20168
 Groups expect members to act and think in a
certain way
Elevator Conformity Study:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC_JfCWYnTQ&feature=related
Types of Conformity
 Compliance – Publically acting in agreement with
social pressures, but internally disagreeing. This
best describes a person who is motivated to get a
reward or avoid punishment. In this example
researchers found little difference between animals
and humans. (Asch’s Experiment)
 Identification – Conforming for the purpose of
putting yourself in a satisfying position with the
person you wish to identify with. (ie. Wanting to be
just like your father)
 Internalization - Motivated by the desire to
be right. Acting on social pressures but coming
to agree and believe the person who we are
conforming with because they are perceived to
be right and have good judgment. This method
of conformity becomes tightly ingrained in an
individual because it becomes part of our belief
system.
THE “ASCH” EXPERIMENT
CARD A
CARD B
What line on the right (either A, B, or C)
is the same as the line on the left?
Solomon Asch Experiment (1958) –
A Study of Conformity and Group Pressure
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRh5qy09n
Nw&feature=related
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYIh4Mkcf
JA
THE “ASCH” EXPERIMENT
 7 subjects were selected to participate
 Subjects were shown one standard line on a card and
then told to compare it to a line on a card with three lines
on it
 Task was to determine which comparison line (line on
card B) was equal to the standard line (line on card A)
 All subjects except one were coached to answer
incorrectly
 The purpose of the study was to determine whether the
uncoached person would give the incorrect answer in an
effort to conform to the responses of the other
participants
THE “ASCH” EXPERIMENT
Results
 Approximately 1/3 of the uncoached subjects agreed
with the incorrect answer
 Most subjects who gave the incorrect answer
concluded that their own perceptions must be
incorrect since the majority of the group saw things
differently
Asch found that three different kinds of
reactions had contributed to the
conformity:
 1. Distortion of perception:
 A number of subjects said they were not aware
their responses had been distorted by the
majority. They came to see the majority
responses as correct.
 2. Distortion of judgment: Most of the subjects
who conformed to the majority concluded
their own perceptions were inaccurate.
Lacking confidence in their own observations,
they reported not what they saw but what they
felt must be correct.
 3. Distortion of action: A number of subjects
admitted that they had not reported what they had in
fact seen. They said they had conformed so as not to
appear different or stupid in the eyes of other group
members.
Why Makes People Conform
 Studies conducted by
sociologists have
identified the following
conditions in which
people are more likely to
conform.
 Factors of Conformity…
 When the group is like them in the first place. If
the group has the same values and interests and comes
from a similar background, people are more likely to
conform.
 When the person or group is popular or has high
status. Researchers found subjects were less likely to
jaywalk when a respectably dressed model did not
jaywalk. But the subjects didn’t hesitate to jaywalk when a
poorly dressed (apparently low-status) model did not
jaywalk.
 When the person or group is trustworthy
or an expert. When individuals are uncertain
they often follow the lead of someone they trust or
who is an expert on the subject.
 When the person is able to offer rewards
or punishments. Often people in authority offer
rewards or hand out punishments to make others
conform to their wishes. Social psychologists call
this type of conformity compliance.
 When the person or group is attractive.
People like to identify with those people who are
physically more attractive or admired. By
conforming, they hope people will identify
themselves as being attractive too.
THE ZIMBARDO PRISON EXPERIMENT
 Psychologist Philip Zimbardo was interested in
testing the limits of human conformity
 Zimbardo set-up a 2-week experiment involving fake
prisoners and guards
 Zimbardo had to terminate the experiment after 6
days b/c the lives of the participants soon became
jeopardized
THE ZIMBARDO PRISON EXPERIMENT QUESTIONS
 What does this experiment teach us about social
roles and norms and their connection to conformity?

Write a paragraph response in your notes.
 Was this experiment unethical?
 Explain and give reasons/examples
 http://vimeo.com/14169907
Obedience
 The act or an instance of obeying; dutiful or
submissive behaviour – to be compliant
 Why do people obey?
 Fear
 Less power
 Out of duty
What can Collective Behaviour,
Obedience and Conformity lead to?
 CULTS:
 A group, usually with religious or spiritual beliefs, that is
organized around a charismatic leader
 In exchange for loyalty, cult members are promised salvation
 Discourage independent thinking
 Very separated – “us vs. the outside world”
Types of Conformity
 Compliance – Publically acting in agreement with
social pressures, but internally disagreeing. This
best describes a person who is motivated to get a
reward or avoid punishment. In this example
researchers found little difference between animals
and humans. (Asch’s Experiment)
 Identification – Conforming for the purpose of
putting yourself in a satisfying position with the
person you wish to identify with. (ie. Wanting to be
just like your father)
 Internalization - Motivated by the desire to
be right. Acting on social pressures but coming
to agree and believe the person who we are
conforming with because they are perceived to
be right and have good judgment. This method
of conformity becomes tightly ingrained in an
individual because it becomes part of our belief
system.
Common Characteristics of a Cult
1. Members swear total loyalty to an all-powerful leader.
2. Rational thought is discouraged or forbidden.
3. The cult's recruitment techniques are often deceptive.
4. The cult weakens the follower psychologically by
making him or her depend upon the group to solve his or
her problems.
5. The cults manipulate guilt to their advantage.
6. The cult leader makes all the career and life
decision of the members.
7. Cults exist only for their own material survival.
8. Cult members often work fulltime for the group
for little or no pay.
9. Cult members are isolated from the outside world
and any reality testing it could provide.
10. Cults are apocalyptic and believe themselves to be the
remnant who will survive the soon-approaching end of
the world.
11. Many cults follow an "ends justify the means"
philosophy.
12. Cults, particularly in regard to their finances, are
shrouded in secrecy.
13. There is frequently an atmosphere of or potential for
violence around cults.
C
Cut off from the world
Cut off from normal interaction with people outside the group
Become alienated from family and friends and have an unhealthy need to belong
to the cult group.
CONTROL – power over the group
U
Undernourished
Poor nutritional intake and sleep deprivation
Resistance is low so they can be easily manipulated
Inadequate nutrition and sleep is disguised as a special practice or diet to
improve health
L
Leadership is authoritarian and coercive.
Leader claims special knowledge and authority from God
Cult followers loses personal freedom and the ability to make choices
T
Theology or beliefs or a cult always involve some unique perspective
Cults claim that truth is only found in what the cult says and believes.
Documentary:
‘Jonestown – The Final Report’
History and Background
of the People’s Temple:
http://www.caic.org.au/
biblebase/apocolyptic/jo
nes.htm
Documentary:
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=iQYoHi
M-Uko
Jonestown Question - analysis
 What were the factors that caused Jim Jones to want to be the
leader of a group?
 Why did some of the members want to join Jim Jones’ group?
 What were the positive aspects of this group?
 Give examples of how Jim Jones controlled the group who formed
the People’s Temple.
 Why were these controlling factors effective?
 How does this case connect to our discussion on social roles/norms,
conformity and obedience?