ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of groups in the process of social influence. It begins by discussing the topic of conformity. The chapter discusses the ways in which a majority of people can influence a minority. It illustrates that religious cults provide a frightening example of the high level of compliance that may result from intense levels of indoctrination. Perhaps, the most compelling experiment on the effects of conformity was conducted by Solomon Asch. How his experiment worked: Asch gathered several (seven to nine) college students into a classroom and told them that they would be participating in an experiment about visual judgment. The students were asked to look at two large, white cards. Many of the same characteristics examined there have also been studied by researchers interested in the topic of conformity. Several studies have identified various aspects of personality that are related to conformity.
