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Sherif's Research On Conformity

Muzafer Sherif conducted experiments in the 1930s to study conformity using the autokinetic effect illusion. In his experiments, participants estimated the movement of a stationary point of light in a dark room alone and in groups. When alone, estimates varied greatly, but in groups, the outlier estimate would conform to the other two group members over multiple trials. Sherif demonstrated that people conform to group norms in ambiguous situations. Later experiments found additional factors influencing conformity, such as the attractiveness of group members, task difficulty, and pre-existing group cohesiveness.

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319 views

Sherif's Research On Conformity

Muzafer Sherif conducted experiments in the 1930s to study conformity using the autokinetic effect illusion. In his experiments, participants estimated the movement of a stationary point of light in a dark room alone and in groups. When alone, estimates varied greatly, but in groups, the outlier estimate would conform to the other two group members over multiple trials. Sherif demonstrated that people conform to group norms in ambiguous situations. Later experiments found additional factors influencing conformity, such as the attractiveness of group members, task difficulty, and pre-existing group cohesiveness.

Uploaded by

Rahish Aryal
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© © All Rights Reserved
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SHERIF'S RESEARCH ON

CONFORMITY
Presentation by :
Amy Thapa
Rahish Raj Aryal
Teesa Kachhapati
Muzafer Sherif(1906-1988)
Turkish-American
Social Psychologist
Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to
fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of
others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms/expectations) group pressure.
Conformity can also be simply defined as “ yielding to group pressures” (Crutchfield, 1955).
Group pressure may take different forms, for example bullying, persuasion, teasing,
criticism, etc. Conformity is also known as majority influence (or group pressure). The term
conformity is often used to indicate an agreement to the majority position, brought about
either by a desire to ‘ fit in ’ or be liked (normative) or because of a desire to be correct
(informational), or simply to conform to a social role (identification). In others words, it is a
type of social influence in which individuals change their attitudes or brhaviors in order to
adhere to existing social norms.
1. Size of the group : Conformity is specify what ought to be done- what is
greater when the group is small approved or disapproved behavior in a
than when the group is large. Why given situation.
does this happen? 4. Public or private expression of
behavior : Less conformity is found
2. Group Cohesion : Cohesion is the
under private expression than it is found
degree of attraction or oneness
under public expression.
between the members. 5. Status within a group : The people
3. Descriptive and injunctive norms : with a higher status or seniors in a
Descriptive norms are the ones group are less prone to conformity with
indicating what most people do in low status or juniors in a group.
the given situation. Injuctive norms
Muzar Sherif conducted a series of studies in the 1930s that took
advantage of a visual phenomenon known as the autokinetic effect. When
people are seated in a darkened room and a stationary point of light is
directed at the opposite wall, the light appears to move about in arbitrary
directions. Despite the dot never moving, due to an illusion known as the
autokinetic effect it would appear to shift. Participants were asked to
estimate the amount the light moved.
Sherif (1935) Autokinetic Effect Experiment
Sherif (1935) conducted an experiment with the aim of demonstrating that people
conform to group norms when they are put in an ambiguous (i.e., unclear) situation.
Sherif used a lab experiment to study conformity. He used the autokinetic effect – this is
where a small spot of light (projected onto a screen) in a dark room will appear to move
even though it is still (i.e., it is a visual illusion). It was discovered that when
participants were individually tested, their estimates of how far the light moved varied
considerably (e.g., from 20cm to 80cm).
The participants were then tested in groups of three. Sherif manipulated the composition
of the group by putting together two people whose estimate of the light movement when
alone was very similar and one person whose estimate was very different. Each person in
the group had to say aloud how far they thought the light had moved. Sherif found that
over numerous estimates (trials) of the movement of light, the group converged to a
common estimate. The person whose estimate of movement was greatly different from the
other two in the group conformed to the view of the other two.

Resistance to Conformity
In many instances, people tend to resist to conformity because of their
own personal views or understanding, Individuality and independence,
past experiences, lack of trust, etc. The following factors are
responsiblefor resistance to conformity:-
1) Individuation:-

People tend to think that they are a unique individual who is different form

other. They believe that they can make independent decisions of their own.
Sometimes people don’t follow the mass in order to preserve their uniqueness.

2) Actor-observer effect:-

When we observe the behavior of other people, we'll think that we wont act
like them in that perticular situation. But when we engage in the same
situation as the actor, we feel the pressure to conform the group.

3) Power as a shield against conformity:-


Powerful people are in the position to make decision and lead a mass so they
are not in pressure to follow other people. On top of that their position makes
them somewhat immune to conformity because people do not like leaders who
are easily swayed by every other opinions.
Over numerous estimates (trials) of the movement of light, the
group converged to a common estimate. The person whose estimate
of movement was greatly different to the other two in the group
conformed to the view of the other two.

1. Attractiveness or Intelligence of other members in the group (people


tended to go along with a group of attractive people).
2. Complexity or difficulty of the task (people were more likely to conform
if the judgment was difficult).
3. Group cohesiveness (people conformed more if friendships or mutual
dependencies were set up beforehand).

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