Events/pieces of media and relate them to at least two concepts from social psychology

Sample Solution

Conformity: Conformity is a social influence process where individuals adjust their behavior or thinking to align with the norms of a group. This pressure to conform can be explicit (direct requests) or implicit (desire to be accepted).

The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel and film series where teenagers are forced to fight to the death in an annual televised event. The protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the games. Throughout the story, Katniss displays moments of both conformity and resistance to the oppressive Capitol.

Conformity in The Hunger Games:

• Tribute Training: During training, tributes are pressured to conform to the expectations of the Capitol for entertainment value. Katniss initially tries to blend in, practicing with weapons she's unfamiliar with, until she realizes it won't guarantee her survival. This reflects the informational influence aspect of conformity, where individuals conform to gain information about what is correct or appropriate in a situation.

Contrasting Conformity:

Full Answer Section

• Alliance with Rue: Katniss forms an alliance with Rue, a young tribute from another district. This defies the "games as usual" mentality promoted by the Capitol. Katniss's decision prioritizes compassion and human connection over blind adherence to the rules, highlighting the limitations of conformity in extreme situations.

Empirical Evidence:

• Asch's Conformity Experiments (1951): Solomon Asch conducted a series of experiments where participants were asked to judge the length of lines. In reality, most participants were confederates who deliberately gave incorrect answers. Asch found that a significant percentage of participants conformed to the incorrect majority vote, even when they knew the answer was wrong. This study provides strong evidence for the power of conformity pressure.
• Bond and Robinson (2004): This study examined conformity in online environments. Participants were presented with ambiguous information and asked for their opinions. The study found that exposure to fake consensus online (seeing a large number of people expressing a particular opinion) increased participants' likelihood of conforming to that view.
• Van den Bos (2009): This research investigated the influence of leader confidence on conformity. Participants were asked to complete a visual perception task with a leader who expressed either high or low confidence in their answers. The study found that participants were more likely to conform to the leader's incorrect responses when the leader displayed high confidence. These studies highlight the various factors that influence conformity, including the presence of a unanimous majority, online social influence, and the perceived confidence of a leader.

Conclusion:

Conformity is a powerful social influence that can lead individuals to adopt the beliefs and behaviors of a group, even if they contradict their own private judgments. The Hunger Games offers a compelling fictional exploration of conformity, showcasing both its potential benefits (gaining information) and its dangers (blind obedience). Social psychology research provides valuable insights into the mechanisms and limitations of conformity, helping us understand how social pressures shape our thoughts and actions.