The Effect of Dispositional Factors on Conformity (OCR GCSE Psychology): Revision Note

What are dispositional factors?

• Dispositional factors are internal, personal characteristics that influence how likely someone is to conform, obey, or behave in a crowd

• These include:

  • personality traits

  • attitudes

  • morality

  • self-esteem

• While situational factors focus on the environment or social setting, dispositional factors look at individual differences that affect behaviour

• They help explain why people don’t all react in the same way

  • Some may stay calm and act responsibly, while others might become excitable, impulsive, or even aggressive

Self-esteem & conformity

• Self-esteem is an important dispositional factor influencing conformity

  • Someone with high self-esteem will feel confident in who they are and how they behave

• Self-esteem affects how we respond to social pressure and whether we are likely to follow or resist the group

  • People with high self-esteem tend to feel confident in their opinions and are less likely to conform

    • They trust their own judgment and are more comfortable expressing independent views, even if they go against the group

  • People with low self-esteem often doubt their abilities and may lack confidence in their views

    • They are more likely to conform to fit in and gain approval from others, especially when uncertain or under pressure

• Some level of conformity is important for social harmony, but when self-esteem is low, individuals may prioritise belonging over expressing their true opinions

Research evidence

Kurosawa (1993)

• Conducted a recreation of Asch’s line study in Japan

• Found that participants with low self-esteem were more likely to conform, especially under high-pressure conditions

• This suggests that a lack of confidence increases the tendency to agree with the majority

Taniaka et al. (2014)

• Investigated conformity among female university students

• Found that those with low self-esteem were more likely to agree with a co-witness to a crime — even when the two had actually seen different versions of the event

• Taniaka used special polarised glasses so that each participant saw a different film but believed they were seeing the same thing

• This study shows that when confidence is low, people are more likely to doubt their own perceptions and trust others instead