Alone in a Crowd of Sheep: Asymmetric Perceptions of Conformity and Their Roots in an Introspection Illusion
Pronin, Berger and Molouki report five studies showing that people see others as more conforming than themselves, in domains from consumer purchases to opinions. Participants claimed to be less susceptible than their average peers to broad descriptions of social influence, and less susceptible than specific peers to specific instances of conformity. The asymmetry is not just social desirability but is rooted in attention to introspective versus behavioural information when assessing conformity, an introspection illusion.
Pronin, Berger and Molouki report five studies showing that people see others as more conforming than themselves, in domains from consumer purchases to opinions. Participants claimed to be less susceptible than their average peers to broad descriptions of social influence, and less susceptible than specific peers to specific instances of conformity. The asymmetry is not just social desirability but is rooted in attention to introspective versus behavioural information when assessing conformity, an introspection illusion.
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Pronin, E., Berger, J., & Molouki, S. (2007). Alone in a Crowd of Sheep: Asymmetric Perceptions of Conformity and Their Roots in an Introspection Illusion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(4), 585-595. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.92.4.585.