Effects of norms among those with moral conviction: Counter‐conformity emerges on intentions but not behaviors

Abstract

Previous research has shown that people with a strong moral basis for their attitude show stronger intentions to publicly act in line with their attitude when they are led to believe they are in a minority as compared to a majority. The current paper examines whether this evidence for counter‐conformity can be replicated on speaking‐out behaviors as well as intentions. Participants were told that they were either in a minority or in a majority in terms of their attitude toward a government apology to Australian Aborigines (Experiment 1: N = 100) and legalizing voluntary euthanasia (Experiment 2: N = 169). On intentions to speak out, participants with a strong moral basis for their attitude counter‐conformed, whereas those with a weak moral basis for their attitude were not influenced by the group norm. On behaviors, however, evidence for counter‐conformity disappeared. In Experiment 2, the influence of norms on both intentions and behaviors were moderated by perceptions of whether the status quo was likely or unlikely to change in line with participants' attitudes. Results are discussed with reference to theory and research on normative influence.

Keywords:

• Conformity
• Counter‐conformity
• Normative influence
• Moral conviction