集団の凝集性と課題の重要性の同調行動に及ぼす効果

抄録

The theoretical basis for this study was that the higher the attractions to group membership, the more a group member's private opinion would alter to the group opinion, and that the less important a task was for the group member, the greater the member's private opinion would change to the majority.
These two variables, cohesiveness and importance, were produced experimentally and matched with four experimental conditions.
The hypotheses were that under HiCo-LoIm condition the amount of conformity of members to the group opinion would be highest, while under LoCo-HiIm condition it would be lowest. Under HiCo-HiIm and LoCo-LoIm conditions they would be nearly equal and would lie between HiCo-LoIm and, LoCo-HiIm conditions.
METHOD: Subjects. Thirty two groups of four Ss each were used. All Ss were senior high school boys. Apparatus. The apparatus used in this experiment consisted of a set of five electrical panels with switches and signal lights on them (Crutchfield's type); four of them were for Ss and one for the experimenter. Manipulation of variables. Cohesiveness: Two weeks before the experiment, a sociometric test was given to all members of the classes involved. Sixteen high-cohesiveness groups and sixteen low ones were carefully formed from the data. Just before the experimental session was started, the experimenter gave instructions to each group to promote high cohesiveness in HiCo situation and to lessen cohesiveness in LoCo. The validity of the manipulation of cohesiveness was checked by the attraction-to-group questionnaire before and after the experiment. Importance: Several weeks before the experiment, an attitude test which was constructed with sixty sub-items of current social issues was given to other senior high school boys who were not used in the experiment. Four issues which were most important to the group were chosen as the important tasks, while four issues which were least important to the group were chosen as the unimportant ones. The additional variables, such as the order of presentation of tasks, the distance of opinion between the member and group were controlled. Procedure. 1. Ss showed their private opinion to the task by closing the switches. 2. They were given, through experimental manipulation of switches, uniformly false opinions as representing the opinions of other group members. According to the experimental design, this placed pressure on the naive Ss. Only in the control conditions they were give the same opinion which Ss actually showed. 3. Ss were requested again to show their opinion. 4. Subjects were given Importance-Test for issues which were used in the experimental situation.
RESULTS: 1. Our hypotheses were supported. The amount of conformity decreased in the following order. (HiCo-LoIm)>(HiCo-HiIm)≅(LoCo-LoIm)>(LoCo-HiIm). 2. There was a tendency that the further the distance of opinion between Ss and group, the more Ss were inclined to alter their opinion to the group. This tendency was highest in HiCo-LoIm condition, but the degree of conformity seemed to be limited.