Psychology: Social Influence: Conformity, Obedience, and Groupthink Worksheet

Question 1

Define conformity in your own words. Then give one everyday example of conformity at school or in a community setting.

Accepted Answer

Conformity is changing your behavior, beliefs, or appearance to match a group. An everyday example is wearing the same style of clothing as classmates because many people in the group are wearing it.

Question 2

Define obedience in your own words. How is obedience different from conformity?

Accepted Answer

Obedience is following a direct order or command from an authority figure. It is different from conformity because conformity usually involves pressure from a group, while obedience involves pressure from someone who has or appears to have authority.

Question 3

A student thinks a movie is boring, but after hearing all of their friends say it is great, the student says they liked it too. Is this an example of conformity, obedience, or groupthink? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of conformity because the student changes their expressed opinion to match the group. There is no direct order from an authority figure, and there is not enough evidence of a decision-making group showing groupthink.

Question 4

A coach tells the team to run extra laps, and the players do it even though they are tired. Is this an example of conformity, obedience, or groupthink? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of obedience because the players are following a direct instruction from an authority figure. The coach has a recognized leadership role over the team.

Question 5

Explain the difference between informational social influence and normative social influence.

Accepted Answer

Informational social influence happens when people conform because they believe the group has accurate information. Normative social influence happens when people conform because they want to be liked, accepted, or avoid rejection.

Question 6

During a difficult math problem, a student changes their answer after seeing that most classmates chose a different answer. The student assumes the classmates must know something they do not. Which type of social influence is this? Explain.

Accepted Answer

This is informational social influence because the student changes their answer based on the belief that the group may have better knowledge or more accurate information.

Question 7

A person laughs at a joke they do not find funny because they do not want the group to think they are rude or boring. Which type of social influence is this? Explain.

Accepted Answer

This is normative social influence because the person is changing their behavior to gain social acceptance or avoid negative judgment from the group.

Question 8

Describe one factor that can increase conformity in a group situation.

Accepted Answer

One factor that can increase conformity is group unanimity, which means everyone else in the group agrees. When no one disagrees, a person may feel stronger pressure to go along with the group.

Question 9

Describe one factor that can decrease conformity in a group situation.

Accepted Answer

One factor that can decrease conformity is having an ally who disagrees with the majority. When even one other person gives a different answer, it can reduce pressure and make someone more willing to express their true opinion.

Question 10

In Solomon Asch's conformity experiments, participants sometimes gave an obviously wrong answer about line lengths after hearing others give that same wrong answer. What did these experiments show about social influence?

Accepted Answer

Asch's experiments showed that people may conform to a group even when the group is clearly wrong. The studies demonstrated the power of social pressure and the desire to fit in.

Question 11

In Stanley Milgram's obedience study, many participants continued giving what they believed were painful shocks when instructed by an authority figure. What did this study suggest about obedience?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study suggested that ordinary people may obey authority figures even when the action conflicts with their personal conscience. It showed that authority, setting, and responsibility can strongly affect behavior.

Question 12

What is groupthink? Include two signs that groupthink may be happening.

Accepted Answer

Groupthink is a faulty decision-making pattern in which a group values agreement and unity more than careful thinking. Two signs of groupthink are pressure on dissenters to stay quiet and ignoring warnings or alternative viewpoints.

Question 13

A student council quickly approves a major event plan because everyone wants to seem united. Members who raise concerns are told to stop being negative, and no one checks possible problems with the budget. Explain why this may be groupthink.

Accepted Answer

This may be groupthink because the group is prioritizing agreement over careful evaluation. The members discourage dissent, ignore possible risks, and fail to examine alternatives before making a decision.

Question 14

List three strategies a group can use to reduce groupthink when making an important decision.

Accepted Answer

A group can reduce groupthink by encouraging disagreement, assigning someone to play devil's advocate, and seeking outside opinions or evidence. These strategies help the group consider risks and alternatives before deciding.

Question 15

Read the scenario: A new employee follows a manager's instruction to skip a safety checklist because the manager says there is no time. The employee feels uncomfortable but does it anyway. Identify the type of social influence and explain one ethical concern.

Accepted Answer

This is obedience because the employee follows a direct instruction from a person in authority. An ethical concern is that obeying the manager could put people at risk by ignoring safety procedures, even though the employee knows the action may be wrong.

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Psychology: Social Influence: Conformity, Obedience, and Groupthink

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