Essay On Conformity

2. Evaluate research on conformity to group norms.

An important concept in the sociocultural level of analysis is conformity. Psychologist Baron (2008) defines conformity as a ‘type of social influence in which individuals change their attitudes or behavior to adhere to existing social norms’ (Baron). Social norms are the guiding principles pertaining to the appropriate behaviors, attitudes, and traditions that should be followed by individuals of the relevant society and or culture. Social norms are the concepts which cause an individual to conform often because of a desire to be accepted and liked by others - also known as the normative influence. To research conformity to a group norms, Sherif (1935) and Asch (1951) both conducted valuable
However, the benefits outweigh the costs of deceit for the purpose of this experiment. Also, Asch’s paradigm was an effective method of research to show the root effect of models and non-ambiguous conformity. The confederates also acted as a valuable variable which allowed the implications of certain responses on the the genuine participant’s conformity or lack of conformity. However, since there were confederates in the experiment, it cannot easily be generalized and the ecological validity is also decreased. The numbers of trials and repetition of the study increases the
An obvious example of informational influence is in a study conducted by Sherif in 1935. After first making estimates of movement of a light changed. Participants looked to each other’s estimates to help form their own. They conformed to others’ norms for the movement of the light based on the information they obtained from the other participants’ estimates. This was made very clear after participants were later tested alone again after having completed a trial with a group. Thier estimates correlated more with group norms than with their own original personal