PUBLICATION NAME: Psychology Today
DATE OF PUBLICATION: December 5, 2010
SUMMARY: Philosopher Hannah Adrent, had once argued that the Nazi’s who committed the crimes of the Holocaust, were not insane killers, but just regular people, like you and I, put under pressure to conform. Although, as a species, we don’t require extreme pressure like that to conform, in fact we don’t need any pressure at all, we do it on our own. Human beings are social herd animals; we learn what to do and how to behave from other people. Research has shown that social disapproval turns on “danger circuits” in our brain, where as conforming “soothes”.
Professor Shpancer did an experiment, in which two students are asked to go outside. She then goes on to tell the students in class to avoid interaction with the two children outside (They were rewarded with extra credit on their next test to do it). She then told the two students outside to try to do whatever they can to illicit a reaction from the rest of the class. After a few minutes, the test is over, and Shpancer asks the students how they felt, in which they replied “horrible, embarrassed, rejected”. The students generally think this is a test on how it feels to be an outsider, however, it’s actually a test on conformity, and how simple it is for us to do it. (Note: Not one of the students refused to take part in the test)
We keep ourselves in conformity in two basic ways. From informational cues, which is when we look at others for information, and from normative cues in which we look at others to see how we should act. We have done this ever since we are toddlers, picking up cues from our parents on what action to do.
In the 30’s, there was an experiment by social psychologist Muzafer Sherif, in which a small light was put in a dark room, and subjects were asked to say how far the light moved from the beginning. In reality, the light didn’t move at all, the human brain just makes it appear like it does. The results were that, when alone people had answers varying from about two to six inches, however when they were asked to do this with a group the same people who said varying answers, compromised at four inches. When asked later if the grouping had anything to do with their answers, the subjects denied that it did. They then did the test again, alone, and came back with the group compromise of four inches.
Some people, may claim that “Oh, I wouldn’t have gone along with the group’s, I would have stuck to my guns.” That in Asch’s experiment, they would have picked the line that they knew was right and that in Milgram’s, they wouldn’t have inflicted shocks just because an authority figure said to. However, Shpancer argues that “…nonconformity, in itself is a group phenomenon.”, that our individual courage is based upon group thoughts. That is, if we go against a group, it’s for the sake of another group. In other words, Shpancer says “we can’t avoid conformity.” However, she does say what we can do, and that is to become more aware of conformity cues, and choose the right people to help us in our life.
ARTICLE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight-therapy/201012/you-are-conformist-is-you-are-human
SUBMITTED BY: Brendan Soper
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