Conformity is when people change their beliefs or actions to fit in with a group. This can sometimes make someone go against what they really think or feel. Let's look at some important studies that show how this works.
In the 1950s, Solomon Asch did an important experiment to see how social pressure affects our choices. He asked people to tell him which of three lines was the same length as a fourth line.
When some people working with him (called confederates) gave wrong answers on purpose, about 75% of the real participants agreed with the wrong answers at least once. This showed how strongly people want to fit in with the group, even when they know the answer is wrong.
In the early 1960s, Stanley Milgram ran another experiment to see how far people would go to obey authority. In this study, participants were told to give electric shocks to a "learner" when they answered questions incorrectly.
Surprisingly, 65% of the participants went all the way to the highest shock level of 450 volts, even though they felt uncomfortable doing it. This showed how much authority and group agreement can push people to go against their own morals.
There are a few reasons why people might go along with a group, even if they don’t agree:
Normative Social Influence: People often conform because they want to be liked or accepted. About 50% of people in one study said they would go along with the group to avoid being rejected.
Informational Social Influence: In confusing situations, people look to others for guidance. Around 85% of participants in Asch's study said they doubted their own opinions after hearing different answers from the group.
Cognitive Dissonance: When people hold two conflicting ideas, it can create uncomfortable feelings. To ease this discomfort, they might change their opinion to match the group's view. In some cases, this can lead to conformity rates as high as 90%.
In summary, conformity and obedience can really influence how individuals make choices and what they believe when they are part of a group. The need for acceptance, the search for clear answers, and the discomfort of conflicting beliefs all show how powerful group dynamics can be in shaping our behavior.
Conformity is when people change their beliefs or actions to fit in with a group. This can sometimes make someone go against what they really think or feel. Let's look at some important studies that show how this works.
In the 1950s, Solomon Asch did an important experiment to see how social pressure affects our choices. He asked people to tell him which of three lines was the same length as a fourth line.
When some people working with him (called confederates) gave wrong answers on purpose, about 75% of the real participants agreed with the wrong answers at least once. This showed how strongly people want to fit in with the group, even when they know the answer is wrong.
In the early 1960s, Stanley Milgram ran another experiment to see how far people would go to obey authority. In this study, participants were told to give electric shocks to a "learner" when they answered questions incorrectly.
Surprisingly, 65% of the participants went all the way to the highest shock level of 450 volts, even though they felt uncomfortable doing it. This showed how much authority and group agreement can push people to go against their own morals.
There are a few reasons why people might go along with a group, even if they don’t agree:
Normative Social Influence: People often conform because they want to be liked or accepted. About 50% of people in one study said they would go along with the group to avoid being rejected.
Informational Social Influence: In confusing situations, people look to others for guidance. Around 85% of participants in Asch's study said they doubted their own opinions after hearing different answers from the group.
Cognitive Dissonance: When people hold two conflicting ideas, it can create uncomfortable feelings. To ease this discomfort, they might change their opinion to match the group's view. In some cases, this can lead to conformity rates as high as 90%.
In summary, conformity and obedience can really influence how individuals make choices and what they believe when they are part of a group. The need for acceptance, the search for clear answers, and the discomfort of conflicting beliefs all show how powerful group dynamics can be in shaping our behavior.