Abstract
“Conformity” has been talked about in relation to the coronavirus pandemic. However, whether "conformity" is due to cultural backgrounds is still unclear. In this study, we examined the influence of the others’ facial expressions on their decision making (conformative opinion change) during discussions, considering characteristics of online communication tools and the narrow range of visibility of group members' faces. We also examined whether differences in cultural self-construal influence this effect. In the experiment, a video was created to simulate an online communication tool, consisting of one speaker expressing an opinion and the others’ facial expressions changing to agree or disagree. The participants responded to a questionnaire in which they agreed or disagreed with the opinions, and completed an Independent-Interdependent Self-construal Scale. The results show that others' facial expressions influence decision making during discussions and people with a higher tendency toward interdependence are more likely to be influenced by such expressions.
