PSY 393 - MYERS, Social Psyc, Chp 6 outline-notes

PSY 393 - MYERS, Social Psyc, Chp 6 outline-notes-Conformity and Obedience Public conformity involves doing or saying what others around us say or do; private acceptance involves coming to feel or think as others do. Greater conformity occurs in collectivist societies, while greater individuation occurs in individualistic societies. The foot-in-the-door technique is a procedure for gaining compliance by first securing compliance with a small request, then escalating to a larger one. The low-ball procedure rests on the principles of commitment. One reason for Milgram's (1965) surprising findings of very high levels of obedience to an authority figure is that authority figures either explicitly or implicitly relieve individuals of responsibility for their own actions. Definitions: Behavior + Beliefs = CONFORMITY (Change your observed behavior to match others) Behavior + Beliefs == ACCEPTANCE (everything lines up and is genuine) Behavior – Beliefs = COMPLIANCE (Change behavior is due to power, directive, NOT your beliefs) Behavior + Immediate Compliance = OBEDIENCE (part of conformity) The major difference between conformity and obedience is the presence of an authority figure. CONFORMITY-behavior/beliefs • a change in behavior or belief to go along with others • wearing informal clothes (because everyone else does) • wearing church clothes because that’s what everyone else does • Conformity is a form of social influence in which individuals change their attitudes or behavior in order to adhere to existing social norms. COMPLIANCE-behavior (what you see) • outwardly conforming behavior • obey the rules even if you think they are stupid • obey because you don’t want to get in trouble OBEDIENCE • compliance to an explicit command • command from an authority figure • doing an assignment that the teacher requires; shocking fellow subjects when Milgram commanded it • obeyed without thought to the possible consequences (blind obedience) ACCEPTANCE (heart and mind are in agreement) • sincere, genuine belief in what the group has convinced us to do • coming to believe in a particular political issue, after