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Cited by 282Psychology of Social InfluenceSocial and Intergroup PsychologyOpinion Dynamics and Social Influence

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 112 of the 113 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Group Size and Conformity

Open access
Bond, Rod·2005·Group Processes & Intergroup Relations
DOI 10.1177/1368430205056464
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Abstract

This paper reviews theory and research on the relationship between group size and conformity and presents a meta-analysis of 125 Asch-type conformity studies. It questions the assumption of a single function made in formal models of social influence and proposes instead that the function will vary depending on which social influence process predominates. It is argued that normative influence is likely to be stronger when participants make public responses and are face-to-face with the majority, whereas informational influence is likely to be stronger when participants make private responses and communicate with the majority indirectly. The meta-analysis finds that the relationship differs according to whether public or private responses are obtained and whether an Asch or Crutchfield paradigm is employed. Future research needs to identify how the relationship varies depending on different social influence processes elicited by features of the task and setting.

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Citations

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Show all 113 references

Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. Avramov-Kiwetz, M. , & Gaffié, B. (1974). Une approche expérimentale de l’immunité à l’influence sociale dans les petits groupes [An experimental approach to resistance to social influence in small groups] . Psychologie Française, 19, 23-40 .
  2. Balance W. G. (1968). Acquiescence: Acquiescent response style social conformity authoritarianism and visual field dependency (Doctoral dissertation University of Alabama 1967). Dissertation Abstracts 28B 1165.
  3. Berkhouse R. G. (1965). Effect of external reward on conformity and accuracy responses in a group pressure situation (Doctoral dissertation The American University 1965). Dissertation Abstracts 26 2332.
  4. Brassard L. G. (1986). The Asch conformity paradigm as a contrived in-vivo criterion for validating the College Self-Expression Scale of Assertion (Doctoral dissertation University of Southern Mississipi 1986). Dissertation Abstracts International 47B 4642.
  5. [Also in Cohen, B. P. (1963). Conflict and conformity: A probability model and its application. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. ]
  6. Conger T. W. (1973). The equivalence of group conformity measures: Fact or fiction (Doctoral dissertation Florida State University 1972). Dissertation Abstracts International 33B 2789.
  7. Hatcher, J. (1982). Arousal and conformity. In H. Brandstatter , J. H. Davis , & G. Stocker-Kreichgauer (Eds.), Group decision-making (pp. 453-472). London: Academic Press .
  8. Kumar, J. (1983). Conformity behavior as a function of confederates’ age and size of the confederate group . Personality Study and Group Behaviour, 3, 69-73 .
  9. Long H. B. (1967). Relationships between conforming judgment and employee rank and between conforming judgment and dogmatism in an employee group (Doctoral dissertation Florida State University 1966). Dissertation Abstracts 27A 2616.
  10. Marsella A. J. (1969). Conformity and psychopathology (Doctoral dissertation Pennsylvania State University 1968). Dissertation Abstracts 29B 3917.
  11. Nikols S. A. (1965). A study of the additivity of variables influencing conformity (Doctoral dissertation University of Florida 1964). Dissertation Abstracts 25 6095.
  12. Reitan H. T. (1969). Conformity majority effect and perceived competence (Doctoral dissertation University of Florida 1967). Dissertation Abstracts International 29B 1163.
  13. Schuman H. M. (1970). Social conformity and relative prestige (Doctoral dissertation Claremont Graduate School and University Center 1968). Dissertation Abstracts 30B 374.
  14. Timaeus, E. (1968). Untersuchungen zum sogennanten konformen Verhalten [Studies on conformity behavior] . Zeitschrift für Experimentelle und Angewandte Psychologie, 15, 176-194 .
  15. Turner, J. C. (1991). Social influence. Milton Keynes, UK: Open University Press .
  16. Vlaander, G. , & van Rooijen, L. (1985). Independence and conformity in Holland: Asch’s experiment in Holland three decades later . Gedrag, 13, 49-55 .

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Metadata

Authors
Bond, R.
Affiliations
University of Sussex (GB)
Corresponding author
Bond, Rod
ORCID
Bond, Rod
Venue
Group Processes & Intergroup Relations
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2005-10
Volume
8
Issue
4
Pages
331-354
ISSN
  • 1368-4302 (ISSN-L)
  • 1461-7188
DOI
10.1177/1368430205056464
OpenAlex
W2129624422
Cited by
280
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 12
FWCI
13.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Group Processes & Intergroup Relations (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Social Science Open Access Repository (GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences) (submittedVersion)
  • Trinity's Access to Research Output (TARA) (Trinity College Dublin) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychology of Social Influence
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence
Keywords
group size, conformity, social influence, normative influence, informational influence, majority influence

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