The Power of Conformity: How I Was Influenced and Resisted by a Psychology Contest | by kuang | Aug, 2023

Conformity is the tendency to align your thoughts and behaviors with those of others, especially when you are uncertain or insecure. It can be a powerful force that shapes your decisions and actions, sometimes without your awareness or consent. It can also be a weapon of influence, used by others to persuade you to do what they want, even if it goes against your own interests or values.

My name is Hamer, I’m a high school student, and I’m interested in psychology. One day, I received an email inviting me to participate in a psychology contest saying that I could win prizes and honors. I was very happy and signed up.

The contest is about comparing the length of the line segments on two cards, which is simple. I was placed in a group of five, and each person took turns saying their answers. What I didn’t know was that, apart from me, the other four were accomplices arranged by the contest organizers who would deliberately say the wrong answers to observe my reaction.

At first, I was confident to say my answers, but when I found out that I was always different from other people, I started to feel strange and confused. I wondered if I was blind or if there was something wrong. I felt embarrassed and wanted to be in tune with everyone else. So I started saying other people’s answers, even though I knew in my heart that they were wrong.

The competition organizers saw all this and secretly recorded it. They wanted to test my herd level further, so they asked the co-conspirators to deliberately say a ridiculous answer in one round to see what I would do. I was so surprised that I didn’t understand why anyone else would say such an answer. I hesitated, but decided to follow the others and say the same answer. However, when I said the answer, everyone else burst into laughter, some clapping their hands, some on the shoulders, some even hugging me. I felt like I was being teased, and I smiled at a loss.

The competition organizers were satisfied when they saw this scene. They think I’ve completely fallen into herd mentality and lost self-judgment and critical thinking. They decided to end the competition and revealed the truth to me. It turned out that this competition was a test designed by them to see if I could resist the temptation and pressure of herd mentality and have my own thinking and judgment.

They also told me that the test was based on a famous psychological experiment, the Asch conformity experiment. This experiment was conducted by the American psychologist Solomon Assch in the 1950s to study whether individuals change their judgments and behavior under group pressure, thus showing herd mentality. The experiment involved a group of participants, only one of whom was a real subject, and the others were accomplices arranged by the experimenter. They were asked to compare one segment on one card with three segments on another card to determine which segment was the same length as the segment on the first card. The experimental results showed that when the co-conspirators deliberately gave the wrong answer, in 75% of the cases, the real participant also gave the wrong answer to avoid conflict with the group or appear different. This experiment revealed the powerful role of social influences on individual cognition and behavior, and has also sparked many subsequent studies and discussions. That they gave me a chance and a choice. The opportunity is for me to be their student and to provide me with some quality psychology education and training; The choice is for me to decide whether to agree to the publication of the results of the contest and to give me a certain reward.

They asked me if I would be willing to accept their opportunities and options. I was in deep thought. I don’t want my stupidity and weakness to be exposed to the public, nor do I want this contest to mislead and harm others. But I also feel that I cannot deny this fact, and if I refuse their opportunities and choices, wouldn’t it seem more timid and ridiculous? Finally, under contradictions and entanglements, I made my choice.

I turned down their opportunities and options. I told them that I didn’t need their education and training, nor their awards and honors. I told them that I was angry and disgusted by their test, and that I thought their test was a deception and harm, an immoral and inhumane act. I told them that I did not agree to the announcement of the results of the competition and did not want to have any contact with them again. I told them that I was responsible for my mistakes and that I had to learn from them. I told them that I wanted to learn and improve my thinking and judgment on my own, and to resist the temptation and pressure of herd mentality. I told them that I wanted to be a person of thought and judgment.

When I said these words, the contest organizers didn’t say anything more, just hung up. I haven’t heard anything from them since. Maybe they’ve forgotten about me, maybe they’ve found something else. However, for me, this competition was an experience that I will never forget. It allowed me to see my weaknesses and mistakes, but also my potential and value. It made me understand the impact and harm of herd mentality on me, and how to resist herd mentality and maintain my own thinking and judgment. It cost me a certain amount and made me gain something.

Now, when I face a similar situation again, when everyone else is saying wrong or ridiculous answers, when the outside world is tempting or stressing me, when my heart is full of doubts or tensions, what do I do? Will I follow other people and say the same answer? Or insist on saying the right answer? This is a question and an option. A question of my mind and judgment, a choice of my personality and dignity.

And my answer is: I don’t know. Because I know that this is a difficult and important question and choice. I’m not sure if my thinking and judgment are correct, or whether other people’s mistakes or absurdities are justified. I’m not sure if outside temptations or pressures are worth accepting, or whether my principles and judgments are worth upholding. I’m not sure how much herd psychology affects and does me harm, or how much resistance to herd psychology benefits and costs me. I need to study and think more to be able to come up with a suitable answer. I will be a person who has the ability to learn and think.

How would you react in such a situation? Would you follow the crowd and give the same answer as others, even if you know it’s wrong? Or would you stick to your own judgment and give the correct answer, even if you risk being ridiculed or rejected? What are the factors that influence your choice? And what are the consequences of your choice? I think this book can give you more answers, and I hope you can read the following introduction, and then choose to buy it to read it or listen to it.

“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini is a classic book on social psychology that explores the different forms and mechanisms of influence in human behavior. The book is divided into six chapters, each exploring one of the six principles of influence: reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. These principles are ubiquitous in our daily lives, and we often unconsciously apply them while also being influenced by them.

Chapter 1 discusses the principle of reciprocity. Reciprocity refers to the feeling of obligation we have to repay others when they do something for us. This principle is widespread in human society and can be used to build trust and strengthen social relationships. In marketing, free samples and gifts are often used to trigger the mechanism of reciprocity.

Chapter 2 discusses the principle of commitment and consistency. This principle states that people tend to remain consistent with their previous commitments. This principle is very common in politics, marketing, and recruitment. In the hiring process, for example, interviewers often ask simple questions to get candidates to commit and remain consistent before delving deeper.

Chapter 3 discusses the principle of social proof. This principle states that people tend to believe the behaviors and opinions of others, especially in situations of uncertainty and ignorance. Social proof can be presented in various ways, such as advertising, word-of-mouth, and social media. In marketing, the use of evidence and testimonials can strengthen consumer trust and purchasing willingness.

Chapter 4 discusses the principle of liking. This principle states that we tend to like people who are similar to us, praise us, help us, or have commoninterests with us. The principle of liking is important in both interpersonal relationships and marketing. In marketing, starting with the customer’s preferences can increase their liking for the product.

Chapter 5 discusses the principle of authority. This principle states that people tend to believe those who are perceived as authoritative individuals or institutions. This trust can be based on expertise, experience, reputation, and social status. In marketing, the use of authoritative proof and word-of-mouth can increase consumer trust and purchasing willingness.

Chapter 6 discusses the principle of scarcity. This principle states that people tend to desire more strongly for scarce or hard-to-get items or opportunities. The principle of scarcity can be achieved through limited-time or limited-quantity promotions. In marketing, the use of the scarcity principle can increase the attractiveness and purchase desire of the product.

It will challenge your assumptions, expand your knowledge, and inspire your actions. It will make you think about yourself, others, and the world in a new way. It will make you a more thoughtful and influential person.

The Asch conformity experiment was a psychological experiment conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s, which measured the extent to which people would conform to the majority opinion and give incorrect answers to a simple visual task, even when they could see the right answer.