Conformity, Persuasibility and Counternormative Persuasion Author(s): Lucille Nahemow and Ruth Bennett Source: Sociometry, Vol.

30, No. 1 (Mar., 1967), pp. 14-25 Published by: American Sociological Association Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2786435 . Accessed: 27/04/2013 10:39
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and Conformity, Persuasibility Counternormative Persuasion*

LUCILLE NAHEMOW
AND

RUTH BENNETT

New York StateDepartment of MentalHygiene persuasibility and counThe relationship between conformity to socialnorms, of a homeforaged. In ternormative persuasion was studiedamongresidents generalthe residents were highlypersuasibleand some were clearlymore was found betweenthe persuasiblethan others.However,no relationship and conformity to the norms of the tendency to agreewiththe interviewers residentswere found to be most home. Furthermore, highlyconforming individuals resistantto counternormative persuasiveappeals. Conforming evaluatedthe homehighlyand tendedto regardit as a positivereference in peopleand events groupwhilesimultaneously indicating a lack of interest thatconformity outsidethehome.It was concluded was less dependent upon a general thanuponcommitment to normative standards compliance tendency of the home. whether individuals who conformed This studywas designed to determine to thenorms of an ongoing of experigroupalso acquiescedunderconditions of conformity, "behaviorenacted in mentalpersuasion.Parson's definition accordance with the normative standards whichhave come to be set up as 1 was used. Elderlypeople who had resided the common in a home culture," to thenormative foraged fora year or morewerestudied.Theirconformity of comof the homewas assessedand relatedto two otherforms standards and counternormative persuasion,both of pliant behavior,persuasibility to be persuaded the tendency of the individual whichconcern or, at least,to with an opinionpresented by an outside experimenter. expressagreement of experimental variedfrom thoseof littleconcern The measures persuasion
* Thispaperis basedon a portion to thefaculty ofa doctoral of dissertation submitted of the to themembers The authors are indebted University. of Columbia political science Zubinand Herbert Richard Christie Hyman Joseph (Chairman), committee, dissertation Frederic of thisresearch. We wishto thank all stages andadviceduring fortheir assistance Home and Hospitalfor the Aged for the of the Jewish Zeman and otherpersonnel offered to so generously We are verymuchindebted by them. and interest cooperation examinathepsychiatric whoconducted of Edinburgh, of theUniversity J.Walton Henry This research was supported research fellowship. a U. S. PublicHealthService under tions C1 and NIMH grants MH02775and CD00029. fellowship #14,144 by NIMH predoctoral Illinois:The Free Press,1951. The Social System, 'Talcott Parsons, Glencoe,
14

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CONFORMITY AND PERSUASION

15

of thehomeforaged, to thosewhichweresalientto to any of the residents Conformity, persuasibility themby virtueof theirstatus as residents. and groupselections, persuasion wererelatedto reference counternormative psyand selectedbackground factors. chiatric diagnosis, or conforming in individuals who are compliant The questionof whether is an quite different, situations in other, one situation tend to be compliant behaviorhave aspects of compliant open one. Researchin whichdifferent Back and results.2 been relatedin ad hoc groupshas yieldedinconsistent conformity to social normsamong the relations between Davis investigated perceptual to theincorrect and yielding nursing students at Duke University, corThey founda moderate in a laboratory experiment. judgments of others situations. They noted that relationof +.25 betweenthe two conformity between relationships have generally foundstronger previousexperimenters this to the fact that prior studies and attributed measuresof conformity in the measuresemployed.The typically had more situationalsimilarity to the studyof Back and Davis is uniquein thattheydealt withconformity of generalexisting group,and withthe problem social normof a naturally to naturallife situations.3 studiesof conformity izing from laboratory to a particular groupis directly withan issuerelating Personal involvement dependent upon one's evaluationof that group.A great many laboratory between how studiesof conformity a positiverelationship have demonstrated to conform, or to findsthe groupand his tendency attractive the individual more of theother groupmembers.4The issuebecomes endorse thejudgments sincethequestion of reference groupis introduced, complex whentheconcept thatthosestudents Newcombfound germane. "conformity to what?"becomes
2 Somestudies kindsof compliant different between relationships significant havefound Acquies"Two Formsof Social Conformity: See, forexample:Hilda Beloff, behavior. 56 (February, and Social Psychology, of Abnormal Journal cenceand Conventionality." "The Generality Helsonand JaneS. Mouton, R. Blake,Harry 1958),pp. 99-103;Robert of Task, and Difficulty of Factual Anchorage, as a Function Behavior of Conformity 25 (June,1956), pp. 294-305.On Journal of Personality, Amount of Social Pressure," Harriet See,forexample: sucha relationship. havenotfound studies other theother hand, and Attitudes in Perception, Correlates on ExternalInfluences, Linton,"Dependence 51 (November, 1955),pp. 502and SocialPsychology, of Abnormal Journal Judgement," Styleand Personality Response Between K. McGee,"The Relationship 507; and Richard Journalof AbBehavior," Conformity of Independent Variables:HI. The Prediction 1962) pp. 347-350. 65 (November, and Social Psychology, normal 3 KurtW. Back and KeithE. Davis, "SomePersonal FactorsRelevant and Situational 28 (September, Sociometry, Behavior," of Conforming and Prediction to theConsistency 1965)pp. 227-240. 4 See,for to Group to theGroupand Conformity "Attraction Keisler, Charles example: 31 (December, 1963), pp. 559-569;and EdwinP. HolJournal of Personality, Norms", Processand PriorGroup A. Holland,"Conformity and Gordon W. Julian lander, James 1965) pp. 852-858. 2 (December, and SocialPsychology, Journal ofPersonality Support,"

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16

SOCIOMETRY

collegeand used it as a posiattractive a highly Bennington who considered by acceptingthe prevailing group were likely to conform tive reference who could he foundthat the students However, "liberal" campusattitudes. normswere,in to the Bennington with reference be called "independents" i.e. thoseof theirown set of norms, to a different fact,usuallyconforming groups typicallyserve as group. He concluded that reference reference anchorsforan individual'sattitudes.5 in a home,conwithaged people residing conducted study, In thepresent to the normsof an ongoinggroupwas measured.This was made formity was used in which environment restricted by thefactthata naturally possible The the social normswere partlyknownas a resultof previousresearch.6 in which residents community home for the aged was a self-contained years of theirlives. Room, board,medical plannedto spend the remaining and volunof activities and a widevariety services and nursing care,religious tary jobs were providedon the premises.Residentswere not requiredto leave thehomeforany reasonand feweverdid. Since thehomeencompasses as a "total it maybe classified so muchof thelivesof thosewho residethere, 7 institution." forbehaviorabout whichtherewas as an expectation A normwas defined used to studynormswereobservation, Methods amongresidents. consensus and interin home's newspaper, the content analysisof articlesappearing residents. and admitted residents old-time newly members, viewswithstaff were in the increasedafterresidents Only thosenormson whichconsensus normsspecific to the home. were considered one to two months home from to the "common culture" conformity wereused in determining These norms of the home. of the normsof the was defined independently In contrast, persuasibility was developedby Hovland, Janis and home.The conceptof persuasibility to in susceptibility individualdifferences and refersto consistent others,8 there of the issue involved, They noted that almostirrespective persuasion. who were more susceptiblethan othersto seemed to be some individuals the effect of a pre-existing attitudetoward appeals. To eliminate persuasive a topic freemeasureof a particular issue,Lesser and Abelsonconstructed wherethe content of pairs of pictures, of the comconsisting persuasibility,
Groups: 5 Theodore of Reference as a Function "Attitude Development M. Newcomb, in Social 6 in EleanorE. Maccoby,et al., Readings Study,"Chapter The Bennington and Winston, Inc., 1958. New York: Holt, Rinehart Psychology, 3 (September, of Institutional Life,"The Gerontologist, "The Meaning 6 RuthBennett, 1963),pp. 117-125. 7 Erving 1962. Aldine, Chicago: Asylums, Goffman, and PersuaCommunication L. Janisand HaroldH. Kelley, Irving 8 Carl I. Hovland, 1953. Press, New Haven: Yale University sion,

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CONFORMITY AND PERSUASION

17

was of thisinstrument A modification was noveland uninvolving.9 munication used in the presentresearch. has provenusefulin stimulating The notionof topic freepersuasibility in kindas well is a difference thatthere to theextent research but is limited and persuasion material to novel,ambiguous as in degreebetween persuasion in an material.That an individual'spersonalinvolvement to meaningful changehas been emphasized of attitude in any consideration issue is critical of the homewere of Sherif and Hovland.'0 Because the norms in the theory appeals it was possibleto developcounternormative at least partlyknown, felt the home's way of life with which residents about issues concerning wereused which of persuasibility involved. In all, threemeasures personally salientto the residents. variedfrom topic freeto highly
METHOD

of a homeforthe aged servedas subjects. residents SUBJECTS. Ninety-six one and three between whowas admitted The sampleincluded everyresident unable to yearspriorto the studyexceptthosewho werein the infirmary, deaf.Twentysevenmenand sixtyninewomenwere speak Englishor totally theirages rangedfrom64 to 92 years,the medianage being interviewed; and of thewhiterace. Sixtyfourper centcame to 82 years.All wereJewish fromEurope and the rest were native born. Their education this country six residents to fivewhohad graduschooling variedfrom whohad no formal school education. ated from college; the averagepersonhad an elementary thecourseof the or werehospitalized sevenresidents during expired Although to be interviewed. no one was lost because of refusal experiment, is a voluntary, non-prowas conducted The homein whichthisresearch is in York which located the New area, institution metropolitan prietary It offers an unorganization. philanthropic by a Jewish largelysupported servesas a and in addition, to the residents, of services usuallywide variety in care of the residents in the The the aged. centerfor training workers a full time branchof the institution where samplewerehousedin thecentral personnelare staffof physicians, nurses,paramedicaland housekeeping employed. in thesamplewas interviewed twice;an average PROCEDURE. Everyresident The interthe first and the secondinterview. of six months elapsedbetween in theirlate 20's, each of viewswereconducted experimenters by twowomen
in Chilof Persuasibility "The Measurement 9 Robert and GeraldS. Lesser, P. Abelson and Persuasibility, L. Janis, Personality 7 in Carl I. Hovlandand Irving Chapter dren," 1959. Press, NewHaven: Yale University New Haven: Yale University SocialJudgement, andCarlI. Hovland, Sherif I0 Muzafer 1961. Press,

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18

SOCIOMETRY

Approxiand halfof thesecondinterviews. halfof the first whomconducted in orderto assess the conweretape recorded matelyhalf of the interviews measures." reliability ofpersuasibility spective again by a residents in thesamplewereinterviewed fifty At thesame time, withthehomeand did not have access to whowas not affiliated psychiatrist fifteen interview, psychiatric below.Based upon a standard thedata reported eighteen a diagnosisof subjectswere givena diagnosisof senile dementia, disorder(of these,fivehad a diagnosisof both senile psychiatric functional twowerefoundto be normal. disorder), and twenty and functional dementia mild and all functional wereconsidered All but one case of seniledementia Details of the clinical disorders. or character wereeitherneuroses disorders are given elsewhere.'2 assessment The conformity scale containedtwentyquestions SCALES.Conformity. of the homewhichare to normssharedby residents relating about behavior thefirst interduring in Table 1. Items#1 to #10 wereadministered shown duringthe second interview. view; items #11 to #20 were administered wordedquestions and negatively of positively Therewere an equal number and in termsof and an equal numberof questionswordedhypothetically for the halves of the scale, actual behavior.This balance was maintained as well as forthe fullscale. Responses administered duringeach interview, or nonconforming. The theoreticalrange of were scored as conforming to 20 fortotal conformity. zero, fortotalnonconformity, scoreswas from appeals consistedof appeals. The counternormative Counternormative normsin which therewas a disstandardized against resident arguments resident normand the administrative posibetweenthe prevailing crepancy the one concerned help; despite issues were tipping Two such found: tion. the home's policy against tipping,nearly every residenttipped and was and proper.The otherconcerned that thiswas necessary sharing convinced of privaterooms, nearlyevery one's roomwithanother;due to a shortage disliked thenecessity of sharing Residents had at leastone roommate. resident The a roomand feltthat,ideally,theyshouldhave roomsfor themselves.
the interitemsrequiring open-ended contained scale of persuasibility "1The opinion A clerk listened withtheitem. or disagreed thesubject to interpret whether agreed viewer half of the tapes) and (roughly six first and secondinterviews of forty to recordings Therewas 95 per centagree"agree"or "disagree". scoredthe responses independently (in three and two per centdisagreement and the clerk, the interviewer mentbetween scoresobtained reacha decision). Persuasibility per centof thecases,the clerkcouldn't were foundon eitherthe and no differences were compared by the two interviewers scale. ortheopinion choice picture Illnessand "Psychiatric and Lucille Nahemow, 12Henry J. Walton,Ruth Bennett 105 of Science, in a Home for Aged,"Annalsof the New York Academy Adjustment 1964)pp. 897-918. (September,

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CONFORMITY AND PERSUASION

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20

SOCIOMETRY

against tipping arguments appeals consistedof extensive counternormative pauses including was standardized, The presentation and forroom-sharing. no However, comments. wereallowedto interject whichthe residents during withthe text.For the two proceeded what theysaid the interviewer matter opinionwas obtainedboth before appeals, the resident's counternormative opinionon the individual's In orderto determine and afterthepresentation. first "When a resident in thehome,thequestion, a roomwithothers sharing of residents wouldbe the ideal number enters the home,what do you think The of the firstinterview. sharinga room?" was asked at the beginning same of the the end read was at room sharing on appeal counternormative thepersonwas again asked,"What do afterward and immediately interview, a room?"For the of residents sharing wouldbe the ideal number you think "Do you the questions, the help, tipping appeal concerning counternormative should that residents think shouldtip thehelp? Do you thatresidents think first interview. the of asked at thebeginning to thehelp?",were givepresents by anotherinterduringthe secondinterview The appeal was administered wereasked again.'3 afterwhichthe questions immediately viewer, were used. The topic free Two measuresof persuasibility Persuasibility. For each pair,residents of 19 pairs of pictures. scale consisted picture-choice the interviewer During one interview, were asked to select theirfavorite. of thepair and said, "I like thisone best,whichone do pointedto a picture to the pointed interviewer theother Duringthesecondinterview, youprefer?" was one who resident one. The persuasible oppositepictureas the preferred choicesof both interviewers.14 agreedwiththe contradictory about whichthe issuesof nationalimportance scale concerned The opinion It contained attitude. to have somepre-existing wouldbe expected individual whichwere administered veropinionstatements 17 pairs of contradictory said, "I think one interviewer the first interview, during bally. For example, to join unionsthe same as any shouldbe permitted thathospitalemployees Whatdo you think?" ownselfrespect. their to maintain in order workers other "I don't thinkthat said, the other interviewer second the interview, During theircomplete because unions to should be join permitted hospitalemployees who think?" Residents do you loyaltyshouldbe towardthe hospital.What as such were considered persuasible.Issues agreed with both statements to speak in public and should be permitted whether or not a communist
13 The scale suffers was with sincethe mainconcern ceiling effect a pronounced from who did not take the theresidents in thedirection of theappeal.Obviously, movement couldnot obtaintop scores. was presented theargument before position normative foruse withchildren. by Lesserand Abelson constructed 14Thisscale was originally foruse withadults.GeraldLessersupplied studythe scale was modified In thepresent necessitated. thealternate pairsthatmodification picture

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CONFORMITY AND PERSUASION

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to reject Negroes were or not privateclubs should be permitted whether amongthoseincluded. of comgroup.In additionto themeasures Use of thehomeas a reference were asked to evaluate variousaspects of life in the pliance,the residents residents. and theother themedicalcare,theactivities suchas thefood, home, the evaluationscale. They were also asked Twentysuch items comprised place to them, theyfelt that the home had becomean important whether now as theirold homeswiththeirfamto them it was as important whether as well liked theirnew friends theygenerally ilies used to be, and whether if the wereused to determine questions These three as thosetheyhad before. to the use of the group. Questionspertaining home servedas a reference groupwere morevaried. worldoutsideof the home as a positivereference they (1) left the home and how often,(2) were asked whether Residents any social contactsoutsideof the home, (3) would consultthe maintained to of important decisionmaking,(4) continued outsidecontactin instances and to maintain continued (5) finally outside organizations, to belong any and made use of themass media. in politics an interest RESULTS whosaid "yes" to each itemon the Table 1 showstheper centof residents were foundto be highly conforming to the scale. Most residents conformity a normsof the home.For example,73% said that theyhad neverreported to thestaff (item 11), 72% said thattheywouldquietlydo without resident foodif theydidn'tlike whatwas beingserved(item 15), and 60% said they even if he was wrong (item 18). would neverargue with anotherresident total of scoreswas J-shaped, itemsthe distribution forindividual Although a normaldistribution. Scores scale approximated scoreson the conformity reliability split-half 4 to 20 witha mean of 14.4. An odd-even rangedfrom of +.72 was obtained. coefficient Table 1 shows that therewas no acquiescentresponsebias on the consaid "no" in answer residents scale. For itemswithsimilarcontent, formity to a positively said as as often worded "yes" they question to a negatively the a that in such conforming worded was the item way wordedone. When it was the time. When of cent 71 said residents was "yes", "yes" per response 73 said "no" residents was "no", response wordedsuch thatthe conforming to respondaffirmatively per centof the time.Clearlytherewas no tendency ofitemcontent. irrespective bias on was a marked response there acquiescent to conformity, In contrast Residentsagreedwith 70% of the opinion both measuresof persuasibility. opinionsnearlyas oftenas they both contradictory endorsing statements, point of view. Only fourpeople disconsistent an ideologically maintained

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SOCIOMETRY

thantheyagreed.The same was trueof the pictureagreedmorefrequently agreedwith62% of thechoicesof the interchoicescale wheretheresidents were On bothscales,a scoreof zero wouldbe obtainedif a resident viewers. a in his responseto all items.Negative scores reflect logicallyconsistent set. response a persuasible set and positivescoresreflect response negativistic scales were 6.4 and 5.6 The mean scoresforthe opinionand picture-choice persuasible. werehighly theresidents thatin general, indicating respectively, and persuasibility conformity, between Table 2 showstheintercorrelations
TABLE 2 Correlationsbetween Conformity, Persuasion and Persuasibility Counternormative
Counternormative Persuasion Opinion Persuasibility Picture Choice Persuasibility +.16

Conformity persuasion Counternormative Opinionpersuasibility

* p<.O1.

-.27*

+.03 +. 10

+. 11 +.41**

P<.001.

betweenthe correlation The highlysignificant persuasion. counternormative indicates that, and the opinion measure of persuasibility picture-choice morereadily of issue,somepeopleagreedwiththeexperimenters irrespective wheneitherthepicture-choice relation was found No significant thanothers. This persuasion. scale or the opinionscale was relatedto counternormative issues scale concerned persuasibility by thefactthatneither maybe explained did not appear traitof persuasibility to lifein thehome.The general relevant issues. salient,normative to persuasive appeals regarding responses to affect and either measureof persuasibility between was found no relation Similarly issueswereconcerned, of thehome.Wherenormative to thenorms conformity to agree. otherthana generaltendency uponsomething depended compliance counof -.27 foundbetween relationship is thenegative Most interesting resithose that shows This finding and conformity. ternormative persuasion the with and of the home rules to complied conformed usually dentswho after their views to not were change of others persuaded readily expectation appeals. In fact,conforming persuasive beingsubjectedto counternormative or to acceptthe to to resistant appeals stoptipping wereparticularly residents theconforming in this instance beneficial. a room was Thus, idea thatsharing be most can This least parsimonifinding compliant. individuals provedto be to thenormsof the home.An of theircommitment in terms ouslyexplained to the normsof his peer group would be individualwho felt committed

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CONFORMITY AND PERSUASION

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and, b) notbe readily withthosenorms expected to: a) behavein accordance position. to accept a counternormative persuaded by an outsider to which yielding to social forces If theconforming individual is notmerely from is seeking personalsupport but rather he feelsno personalcommitment, group. we wouldexpecthimto regard reference thehomeas a positive others, evaluationand the use Table 3 showsthe relationship betweenconformity, group. of the homeor the outsideas a positivereference
TABLE 3 Correlationsbetween Conformity, Evaluations and ReferenceGroup Selections
Evaluation of Home Home Selected as ReferenceGroup Outside Selected as Reference Group

Conformity Evaluation of Home Home Selectedas Reference Group

*p<.O1.
** p<.01.

+.37**

+.17 + .54**

-. 24* -.04 +.16

It shouldbe pointedout that the use of the homeas a positivereference societyas an additional groupin no way precludedthe use of the greater thatit had becomea reference group. Peoplewholikedthehomeand thought eventsand "real home" to them, an interest in current could stillmaintain of to see old friends. continue Indeed,Table 3 showsa positivecorrelation of +.16 betweenuse of the home as a reference group and maintenance in theoutside conforming however, interest world.Unliketheotherresidents, correlation of +.37 between individuals did not do both. The substantial negative and positive of thehome,and the significant evaluations conformity and theuse of theoutsideworldas a of -.24 between conformity correlation reference individual was clearlypartial groupindicatesthat the conforming thanthe to thehome.He evaluatedspecific aspectsof thehomemorehighly and was morelikelyto feel that the home had less conforming individual, in becomea real hometo him.At the same time,he rejectedor lost interest outside ofthehome. occurring peopleand events individuals weregenerally considered to be by thepsychiatrist Conforming ones. Functional disorders mentalhealththannon-conforming were in better more frequent among those who scoredbelow the medianon significantly which conformity (X2= 10.0 p<.01). This was notthecase forpersuasibility disorderor of was unrelatedto psychiatric diagnosiseitherof functional than men senile dementia.Women were found to be more conforming

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(X2=4.16 p<.05), but not morepersuasible. Neitherconformity nor persuasibility wererelatedto age, physicalstatusor education, whichmight be due to the limitedrange of age or physicalstatus among the residents of thehome. DISCUSSION This research was addressedto the questionof whether individuals who conform to thenorms of an ongoing groupalso "conform" or acquiesceunder conditions of experimental persuasion.For 96 residents of a home for the aged, the answerappears to be negative.Not only were conformity and persuasibility unrelated, but theyrelated differently to relevant characteristics of theindividuals. thanmenbut For instance, womenweremoreconforming no morepersuasible. Similarly, thoseconsidered "normal"by a psychiatrist were highlyconforming but not particularly persuasible. The positive relationship between conformity and mental healthis interestingin itself inasmuch as it is apparently contradictory to a considerable body of the The problem of research.15 is easilyresolved, however, by examination norms to which conformity was expected in thepresent study.If, as has often been the case, conformity in termsof yieldingto an erroneous is defined majority, thenit might be expected to reflect a weakness oftheego as Hoffman has found.If, however, as is the case here,normsare part of the group's and are guides forbehavior, traditions conformity mightbe relatedto ego The factthatthere or persuasible strength. was a strong acquiescent response itemsonce again bias on thepersuasibility itemsbut noneon theconformity that individuals tend to say "yes" indiscriminately when the demonstrates interests. materialis ambiguousor remotefromtheircurrent Unlike the the conformity a report of actual (or persuasibility material, itemsrequired to the normsin questionor the intended)behavior.Personalcommitment lack of ambiguity of the conformity or both,may have accountedfor items, set on the conformity scale. the lack of an agreeing response tendedto use thehomerather thanthe individuals Sincehighly conforming it is likelythatrewards from its outsideworldas a positivereference group, to themthan the approval of an outside members were more meaningful
15 In several of mental indicative to factors to be related was found conformity studies, of ConCorrelates FrancesJ. DiVesta and Landon Cox, "Some Dispositional illness. 1960), pp. 259-268, found Journal of Social Psychology,52 (August, Behavior," formity of as a Function "Conformity Louis Breger, and anxiety. conformity between a relation 31 (June,1963), pp. 247-257 Journal of Personality, to Express Hostility," theAbility Martin to express hostility overtly. and theinability a relation between conformity found Journalof Conformity," Factorsin Compulsive "Some Psychodynamic L. Hoffman, between a relation found 1953),pp. 383-393 48 (July, and SocialPsychology, Abnormal andlackofegostrength. conformity

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CONFORMITY AND PERSUASION

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able to resistthe werebetter individuals Probablyconforming experimenter. to partlybecauseconformity situation in thecounternormative experimenters normsof the groupholds withit the promiseof rewardsfor the prevailing and sanctions fordeviance.In thehomeforaged,as in Benningcompliance groupservedas an groupas a reference ton college,usingthe membership the home unlikeBennington, However, opinions. anchorforthe individual's to interbecause of naturalbarriers in which, foraged is a totalinstitution, outsidereference to maintain difficult it is particularly actionwiththeoutside, reference whodoesnotuse thehomeas a positive Thus,theindividual groups. group.If the consequent of any reference be deprived groupwouldprobably and opinionsmade him attitudes lack of social supportforthe individual's this outsiders, appeals by authoritative to persuasive vulnerable particularly and might explain the unusually low relationshipbetween conformity persuasibility. ofa home residents thatwhenelderly thisstudy demonstrated In conclusion, to groupnormscould in an on-going group,theirconformity wereinvolved to agree. Moreabout a generaltendency from knowledge not be predicted of authority. did notblindly acceptthedictates resident over,theconforming an appeal madeby to endorse If he did,he shouldhave beeneasilypersuaded a policy an authority outsidethehometo support representing experimenters of thehome, of thehome.In thecontext staff advocated by theadministrative normsbecause the normswerepart of a to resident conformed the resident between Whenthere was a discrepancy of whichhe was a member. subgroup he did not his disavow and policy, resident administrative norms prevailing It be in orderto go along withauthority. may said, therefore, commitment to and endorseda normative patternto conformed that he independently committed. he felt which

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