Competencies

demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:

• Analyze theories of social psychology
• Analyze how social influence and human behavior are interrelated

Scenario

As a leader in the student government organization on campus, you have made a perplexing observation about group behavior: While some people refuse to conform to the group majority, others tend to defer to the general consensus, despite the fact that their beliefs may run counter to the majority opinion.

in order to address this observation, a set of research notes that explain the socio-psychological factors that influence conformity to group norms. The purpose of these notes is to help your fellow group members better understand the factors that contribute to majority influence and, ultimately, enhance group collaboration within the student government organization.

Directions

Using the rubric criteria listed below, you will analyze, reflect upon, and integrate the concepts that explain the impact of conformity within the group dynamic.

Part One: Analyzing the Socio-Psychological Foundations of Conformity Analyze the socio-psychological factors that influence our tendency to conform to group pressure.

1. Describe the difference between acceptance, compliance, and obedience, and provide examples of how these concepts present within the group dynamic.
2. Describe the difference between normative influence and informational influence, and provide examples of how these concepts impact the group dynamic.
3. Describe why cognitive dissonance is not always easy to recognize in ourselves.
4. Describe ways to reduce cognitive dissonance and shift to a state of cognitive consonance in the group setting.
5. Describe the factors that may impact a person's ability or desire to deviate from the norm and choose not to conform to group pressure.

Part Two: Reflecting On the Conformity Experience Reflect upon an authentic experience that occurred either at home, in school, at work, or within the greater community, in which you or someone you know conformed to the majority opinion.

1. Describe the influence of unanimity on the tendency of group members to conform to the majority opinion.
2. Describe the influence of cohesion on the tendency of group members to conform to the majority opinion.
3. Describe the influence of status on the tendency of group members to conform to the majority opinion.

Part Three: Integrating the Negative and Positive Aspects of Conformity Within the Group Dynamic Integrate and apply your knowledge of conformity, which can result in both negative and positive outcomes on group collaboration. In your response, address each of the following rubric criteria in one paragraph:

1. Describe the negative effects of conformity on group collaboration. Include the potential impact of conformity on each of the following:
   1. If one or more of the group members are not motivated, how does that impact the group?
   2. How can the identity and individuality of members impact the group?
   3. The perceptions of fairness toward group members
   4. The creativity and diversity of ideas of group members
2. Describe the positive effects of conformity on group collaboration. Include the potential impact of conformity on each of the following:
   1. The cohesiveness of group members
   2. The intergroup harmony between group members
   3. The productivity level of group members
   4. The learning among group members
3. Using the various socio-psychological concepts examined in this project to support your position, share three recommendations for optimizing the group collaboration experience.