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Mere Membership in Racially Diverse Groups Reduces Conformity

Publication ,  Journal Article
Gaither, SE; Apfelbaum, EP; Birnbaum, HJ; Babbitt, LG; Sommers, SR
Published in: Social Psychological and Personality Science
May 1, 2018

Three studies assessed the impact of White individuals’ mere membership in racially diverse or homogeneous groups on conformity. In Study 1, White participants were randomly assigned to four-person groups that were racially diverse or homogeneous in which three confederates routinely endorsed clearly inferior college applicants for admission. Participants in diverse groups were significantly less likely to conform than those in homogeneous groups. Study 2 replicated these results using an online conformity paradigm, thereby isolating the effects of racial group composition from concomitant social cues in face-to-face settings. Study 3 presented a third condition—a diverse group that included one other White member. Individuals conformed less in both types of diverse groups as compared with the homogeneous group. Evidence suggests this was because Whites in homogeneous (vs. diverse) settings were more likely to reconsider their original decision after learning how other group members responded.

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Published In

Social Psychological and Personality Science

DOI

EISSN

1948-5514

ISSN

1948-5506

Publication Date

May 1, 2018

Volume

9

Issue

4

Start / End Page

402 / 410

Related Subject Headings

  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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Gaither, S. E., Apfelbaum, E. P., Birnbaum, H. J., Babbitt, L. G., & Sommers, S. R. (2018). Mere Membership in Racially Diverse Groups Reduces Conformity. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 9(4), 402–410. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617708013
Gaither, S. E., E. P. Apfelbaum, H. J. Birnbaum, L. G. Babbitt, and S. R. Sommers. “Mere Membership in Racially Diverse Groups Reduces Conformity.” Social Psychological and Personality Science 9, no. 4 (May 1, 2018): 402–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617708013.
Gaither SE, Apfelbaum EP, Birnbaum HJ, Babbitt LG, Sommers SR. Mere Membership in Racially Diverse Groups Reduces Conformity. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2018 May 1;9(4):402–10.
Gaither, S. E., et al. “Mere Membership in Racially Diverse Groups Reduces Conformity.” Social Psychological and Personality Science, vol. 9, no. 4, May 2018, pp. 402–10. Scopus, doi:10.1177/1948550617708013.
Gaither SE, Apfelbaum EP, Birnbaum HJ, Babbitt LG, Sommers SR. Mere Membership in Racially Diverse Groups Reduces Conformity. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2018 May 1;9(4):402–410.
Journal cover image

Published In

Social Psychological and Personality Science

DOI

EISSN

1948-5514

ISSN

1948-5506

Publication Date

May 1, 2018

Volume

9

Issue

4

Start / End Page

402 / 410

Related Subject Headings

  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1701 Psychology