Active learning ideas
Conformity is a powerful social force where individuals change their behaviour to fit in with a group. Students examine Solomon Asch’s classic line study and the distinction between normative social influence (the desire to be liked) and informational social influence (the desire to be right). They also look at dispositional factors, such as self-esteem and locus of control, which explain why some people are more likely to resist group pressure than others.
Activity 01
A small group of 'confederates' is briefed to give the wrong answer to simple questions (e.g., which line is longest). One 'naive' student is brought in to see if they conform. The class then debriefs the feelings of the participant and the observers.
Why do individuals conform to a majority?
Activity 02
Students are given several scenarios (e.g., wearing a specific brand of trainers, or looking at others to see which fork to use at a fancy dinner). They must decide if the conformity is normative or informational and explain their reasoning to a partner.
How does self-esteem affect conformity?
Activity 03
Groups are given profiles of different individuals with varying levels of self-esteem and 'locus of control'. They must predict how likely each person is to conform in a social situation and present their 'risk assessment' to the class.
What did Asch's line study reveal about human behaviour?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Only 'weak' people conform.
Conformity is a natural human tendency that affects almost everyone depending on the situation. By participating in a simulation, students can see that even 'strong' individuals feel the pressure to agree with a unanimous majority.
Conformity is always a bad thing.
Conformity allows society to function smoothly (e.g., driving on the correct side of the road). Class discussions can help students distinguish between harmful peer pressure and helpful social norms.
Methods used in this brief
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