Ivan D. Steiner

Some variables affecting the use of conformity as an ingratiation technique

Abstract This study examines the effects of three variables that are hypothesized to influence the salience of ingratiation as a technique for obtaining valued payoffs: the Machiavellianism of the potential ingratiator, the perceived discretionary power of the target person who controls payoffs, and the discrepancy between the relevant attitudes of the potential ingratiator and the target person. As anticipated, the amount of ingratiating conformity manifested by subjects was greatest when these three variables carried values that were presumed to make ingratiation a moderately salient response. Least conformity occurred when salience was very high. Relationships between any one of the three independent variables and conformity were found to depend upon the level at which the other two variables were set. The findings suggest an explanation of some of the contradictory outcomes generated by research dealing with conformity and attitude change.

Immediate and delayed reactions to interpersonal disagreements: Some effects of the type of issue and order of response

Abstract Reactions of subjects who answered a series of questions before hearing an accomplices replies are compared with reactions of subjects who answered after hearing the accomplices judgments. In experimental sessions both groups conformed on a cluster of questions dealing with a single ideological issue, but only subjects who answered after the accomplice conformed on miscellaneous factual questions. In private sessions a week later both groups adhered to the accomplices views on miscellaneous factual questions, but neither group conformed on the ideological cluster. During experimental sessions, subjects who answered before the accomplice manifested greater tendencies to reject the accomplice and to underestimate disagreements. A week later the two experimental groups resembled one another rather closely on both of these nonconforming responses. This pattern of findings is consistent with the contention that: (a) response order affects ability to conform on miscellaneous factual questions (but not on ideological questions); (b) response order has little or no effect on motivation to conform; and (c) rejection and underestimation of disagreements are nonconforming responses that alleviate the stress engendered by interpersonal disagreements.