Question 1

Felicia is initially the only member of the jury who believes that the defendant is innocent. After hearing and debating Felicia's arguments, the jury unanimously declares the defendant not guilty. The jurors' decision will most likely be characterized by

Accepted Answer

The answer of Felicia is initially the only member of...

Question 2

Recall that in an Asch-type conformity experiment (Frager, 1970), Japanese students were less conforming than were North Americans. According to researchers, these findings suggest that

Accepted Answer

The study found that Japanese students were less conforming than North American students, indicating that conformity in Japan may be more likely in groups that one feels a sense of loyalty to, rather than conformity to a group in general. This suggests that in Japan, collectivism and group cohesion are important values, but the sense of loyalty and familiarity within the group may be more influential than the pressure to conform to the group’s norms in general.

Question 3

Teenagers are often more susceptible to influence attempts from peers than from their parents. This is because peers become more important to teenagers than their parents are. This example represents the influence of Bibb Latané's (1981) concept of ________ on normative conformity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Teenagers are often more susceptible to influence...

Question 4

Majorities tend to rely on ________, whereas minorities tend to rely on ________.

Accepted Answer

Normative social influence refers to the influence of social norms on an individual's behavior and decision-making, whereas informational social influence refers to the influence of others' opinions and expertise on an individual's behavior and decision-making. Research has shown that majorities tend to rely on normative social influence, as they feel pressure to conform to the social norms of their group, while minorities tend to rely on informational social influence, as they often lack the support and validation of their opinions that comes with being in the majority.

Question 5

Mark is a Democrat. He just joined a Welfare Reform Committee made up of nine Republicans. Mark holds a minority opinion on this issue. If Mark wants his opinion to influence the group's final recommendations, he should

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mark is a Democrat. He just joined...

Question 6

According to several replications of Asch's line studies, in Japan, Germany, and Britain, people in those countries are more likely to conform to groups

Accepted Answer

Asch's line studies have shown that people are more likely to conform to groups to which they belong, as opposed to those who are strangers or make them feel inferior. This has been replicated in several countries, including Japan, Germany, and Britain. Therefore, the best answer is A.

Question 7

Charlene typically goes along with what her group of friends wants and asks of her. However, one day she refuses to meet them for smoothies after class. Chances are, Charlene will face little retribution for this as long as she has enough

Accepted Answer

Idiosyncrasy credits refer to the amount of respect and goodwill a person has accumulated by conforming to social norms and expectations. By occasionally breaking from the group and asserting her own preferences, Charlene is using her idiosyncrasy credits and still maintaining her social status within the group. Therefore, the correct answer is D, idiosyncrasy credits.

Question 8

Dr. Emile is trying to replicate Asch's study in a collectivist culture. He's not seeing the degree of conformity in the lab that Asch saw. Which of the following is the most likely reason why?

Accepted Answer

Collectivistic cultures prioritize loyalty to their in-groups, such as family or close friends, over conformity to strangers. Asch's study was conducted with strangers, which may not be as relevant or important to collectivistic cultures. Therefore, it is likely that Dr. Emile is not seeing the same degree of conformity in collectivistic cultures as Asch saw because the group being presented is not important enough to the participants.

Question 9

Researchers (Bond & Smith, 1996) conducted a meta-analysis of 133 Asch line-judgment studies conducted in 17 countries. They found that conformity was higher in ________ cultures because normative social influence ________.

Accepted Answer

The researchers found that conformity was higher in collectivistic cultures because normative social influence promotes harmony.

Question 10

You're designing an activity for your social psychology class and you want to maximize conformity. What should you do to make that happen?

Accepted Answer

Group sizes of four or five are optimal for conformity, as they are large enough to exert social pressure without being so large that individual opinions get lost.

Question 11

Research shows that conformity is not always required of group members. If a member of your group occasionally deviates from the group and the group doesn't impose negative consequences, the individual has used some of his/her ________.

Accepted Answer

Idiosyncrasy credits refer to the amount of deviation from group norms that are tolerated before negative consequences are imposed. If a member occasionally deviates and does not face negative consequences, they have used some of their idiosyncrasy credits, allowing them to deviate from group norms without fear of punishment. Descriptive norms refer to the norms that describe what most group members do, propaganda is an attempt to manipulate beliefs or behaviors, and power refers to the ability to influence or control others.

Question 12

Jane's softball team is planning to steal the other team's mascot-a baby goat. Jane does not want to participate in such a scheme. Which of the following situations would make it more likely that Jane will refuse to help her team steal the goat?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Jane's softball team is planning to steal...

Question 13

Recall that when Solomon Asch (1955) conducted an experiment in which six confederates gave the wrong judgment about the lengths of lines and in which a seventh confederate gave the correct judgment, participants' normative conformity dropped drastically. These findings support the importance of ________ in creating conformity.

Accepted Answer

A unanimous group is crucial for creating conformity, as demonstrated by Asch's experiment. When there was at least one dissenter in the group, participants felt more comfortable deviating from the group's incorrect judgment, indicating that unanimity within the group significantly influences conformity.

Question 14

According to Latané's (1981) social impact theory, as group size increases from two to three members, the impact will increase ________ if a group increases from twenty-nine to thirty members.

Accepted Answer

According to social impact theory, the impact increases as group size increases, but the rate of increase decreases with each additional member. Therefore, the impact will increase more from two to three members than from twenty-nine to thirty members.

Question 15

Emily is a member of a collectivist culture, and she has just conformed with her social group. That behavior is considered a(n)

Accepted Answer

In collectivist cultures, conformity and adjusting one's behavior to align with group norms are often viewed positively, as acts of sensitivity and tact. This is because the group's needs and goals are prioritized over individual desires, and harmonious relationships within the group are highly valued.

Question 16

Cross-cultural replications of Solomon Asch's original (1951) conformity studies (in which participants gave public judgments of the lengths of lines) have revealed that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that people's conformity in Asch's line length judgment task varies depending on the culture in which they were reared. For example, collectivist cultures (such as in East Asian countries) tend to have a higher degree of normative conformity due to a greater emphasis on group harmony and obedience to authority figures. In contrast, individualist cultures (such as in Western countries) tend to have a lower degree of normative conformity and place more emphasis on personal independence and self-expression. However, it's important to note that there is still significant variability within cultures and individuals may respond differently to conformity pressures depending on various contextual factors.

Question 17

Which situation below best exemplifies the tenet of social impact theory that group strength is directly related to conformity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which situation below best exemplifies the tenet...

Question 18

Recall the cross-cultural conformity research conducted by J. W. Berry (1967) and others. Based on this research, who would be least likely to conform to other group members' opinions?

Accepted Answer

According to Berry's research, people from societies that are "low context" cultures, where communication is typically more straightforward and individualistic, are less likely to conform to group opinions. Inuit societies have been classified as low context cultures, whereas African farming and cattle-raising societies have been classified as high context cultures. Norwegian society has been classified as intermediate context. Therefore, a member of an Inuit fishing society would be least likely to conform to group opinions.

Question 19

Which of the following comparisons represents the strength dimension as defined by social impact theory (Latané, 1981)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following comparisons represents the...

Question 20

Wilson is part of a group and has a different opinion from the rest of the group. He can successfully influence the majority group through

Accepted Answer

Informational social influence occurs when individuals conform to a group's beliefs or behaviors because they believe the group has accurate information. In this scenario, Wilson could successfully influence the majority group by presenting compelling and persuasive arguments that provide new and relevant information to the group, ultimately changing the group's opinion. This is different from normative social influence (B), where individuals conform to fit in with the group to gain approval or avoid disapproval, or public compliance (C), where individuals outwardly conform to the group's beliefs or behaviors without necessarily changing their internal beliefs. Assertive verbal jousting (D) is not a legitimate means of influencing a group's beliefs or behaviors and may even be counterproductive.

Quiz 8: Conformity: Influencing Behavior