Group_Conformity
Group Conformity
Factors That Increase Group Conformity
“Individuals who have generally low self-esteem are more likely to yield to group pressure than those with high-esteem… If individuals are led to believe that they have little or no aptitude for the task at hand, their tendency to conform increases” The Social Animal, Aronson, page 21.
Aronson backs up this statement, as he does almost all his ideas with experimental data. In fact his ideas come directly from such data, the results of the experiments seem to lead him, rather than what he wants to be true. This quotation immediately brings to mind how most patients were led to believe they are not primalling correctly, and how most therapists were made to feel they just are no where near as competent as Dr Janov himself. The point is, these things would often increase conformity, and decrease self esteem.
As far as can be gathered from talking to people and reading the primal books, in the 1970s, the attack on self esteem was often in the form of “you’re a loser” or other busting techniques. More recently the put down is a more gently suggested “you’re a parasympath” (primal jargon for somebody who gives up too easily due to their birth trauma). Consistently, primal has always been about breaking patient’s defenses, which may also increase conformity.
In Primal Therapy, I found that even the very concept of self esteem (which is a widely studied and real construct, with a lot of data behind it) is attacked. I heard it mockingly rejected and dismissed as typically Californian.
“A group is more effective at inducing conformity if (1) it consists of experts …” Aronson page 21.
Just be aware of this effect. The way you can protect yourself from this is to check whether they are widely accepted as experts, and secondly always check evidence and sources rather than trust the “experts.”
“When reality is unclear, other people become a major source of information” Aronson, page 27.
Aronson cites experiments that show this effect, again a universal social human effect, it is not one just restricted to certain personality types.
Primal theory and Janov’s books (and or the therapy itself) may put significant doubt into the participants mind and undermine their previous reality (by using personal history revision, attacks on mainstream knowledge, personal attacks, etc). The very nature of an initial intensive three weeks - where defenses are broken down in isolation - may contribute to this. The participants are left vulnerable to conformity and in particular look to others for reality (in this case they look to the therapists, other patients or to the author and leader of the movement, Dr Janov). This is related to one of the big problems I have found in trying to communicate the information on this website to primal people - that is: when primal therapy is challenged, they invariable turn to other primal people to check reality. When they are reassured, and when they see intelligent and charming people doing primal therapy, they become sure again that it must be true.
Weblinks on Social Psychology and Group Conformity:
YouTube Videos:
Although these videos are not directly relevant to primal therapy, they are still essential in forming a base of knowledge about social psychology that is an important consideration in critical thinking. Besides, they are entertaining videos.
Stanford Prisoner Experiment:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o0Nx31yicY&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCsgwcIil7I&feature=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU6r4mNZ8g0&feature=related
Asch Experiments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKivdMAgdeA
Milgram Study:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDvMi9IT-FQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLP6eg8X13s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzLQpRwms9k&feature=related
Milgram modern reenactment:
