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Why do people conform to social norms?Social Psychology
What is a social norm?
• Social norms are unwritten rules about how to behave. They provide us with an expected idea of how to behave in a particular group or culture.
• Mustafer Sherrif (1936) believed that social norms emerge in order to guide behaviour under conditions of uncertainty.
Group activity
• Everyone stand up
fMRI experiment
• Burns conducted an fMRI study with associates in order to monitor brain activity of patients while either conforming to a social norm or not.
Pluralistic ignorance
For example…
• Communist regime in Russia
• Binge drinking as part of the university culture
What is Conformity?
‘A type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group’
OR
‘Yielding to group pressure.” (Crutchfield, 1955)
Types of Conformity
• Normative
• Informational
• Compliance
• Internalisation
Asch Experiment - 3 lines
Non-Conformity
*Not everyone conforms to social norms
• Individuality
• Independence
• Unique
Conformity in Nazi Germany
• Adolf Eichmann
• Collection, transportation, extermination
• Obeying orders is the most important thing
• “I had to obey them without question”
Factors Affecting Conformity
Factors that INCREASE Conformity:
• Size of group
• Difficulty of task
Factors that DECREASE Conformity:
• Social support
• Answer in private
Behavioral Style
1. Consistency
2. Confidence
3. Unbiased
4. Resist
Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Influence1. Reciprocity
2. Commitment (and consistency)
3. Social Proof
4. Liking
5. Authority
6. Scarcity
Bystander Effect
DEFINITION:
When people don’t offer to help a ‘victim’ when other people are present.
“Following the crowd”
– if one person helps, everyone will
Video Example
FoMO – Fear of Missing Out
Founded by Dr Dan Herman in 1996, during a focus group study.
“Begins with the growing awareness of the virtually endless selection of attractive options.”
“Characterised by the desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing.”
IPhone 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S5• Camera: 8 megapixels vs. 16 megapixels
• Video: 1920 x 1080 vs. 3840 x 2160
• Front Camera: 1.2 mp vs. 2.1mp
• Processor: dual core (1.4 GHz) vs. quad core (2.5 GHz)
• Talk time: 14h vs. 21h
• Samsung has wireless charging
Work vs. Social Dress Codes
Sunbathing
• Sunbathing is becoming much more of a social norm
• Tanned skin is seen as more attractive
• This is leading to an increase in Melanoma in women
Conclusion…
• Social norms are how society expects you to behave in certain situations
• Most people conform to social norms subconsciously
• Groups is the main external factor influencing conformity
