SOCIAL CONFORMITY 1

Analysis of The Extent of Social Conformity in Decision Making Among SPCP Grades 10 and

Grade 11 Students

Galvez, Mikaela Ana F.

Garchitorena, Arianna Elisha Y.

Lagman, Anne Beatrice V.

Medrano, Louise R.

St. Paul College Pasig

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 2

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to study and analyze the extent of Social Conformity in

decision making of Grades 10 and 11 students (Academic Year 2017-2018) in St. Paul College Pasig.

Through this research, a replication of the Asch Conformity Experiment (1955), it was discovered that

in a test, 100% of its participants would base their answers off of what the majority would answer at

least once. The interview, which tackled on studying conformity within certain situations, also enabled

the researchers to conclude that as the weight of decisions increases, the tendency or consideration

to conform decreases.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 3

Acknowledgements

The researchers would like to express their deepest gratitude to their thesis advisers, Ms. Ma.

Fenella Reyes, Ms. de la paz, Ms. Kookie Ambas, Ms. Paulyn Navarrete, and Atty. Lolibeth Medrano,

for taking the time and effort to share their knowledge and expertise for the development of the

research. The researchers would also like to thank them for showing their support on not just the

study, but the researchers as well. Thanks to their input, the quality of the research became better.

The researchers would also like to thank their Applied Research teacher, Ms. Paola Grajo,

who was present in every step of the research from the formation of its concept to its gradings. With

the help of Ms. Grajo, who was willing to have consultation periods with the researchers even outside

the Applied Research subject periods, the researchers were guided with every part of the research.

They are extremely grateful for all the times Ms. Grajo was able to help with the steps of their

experiment and the formation of the paper.

Great thanks is also due to the Grades 10 and 11 students who served as our participants

and confederates for the experiment. Without their generous participation, the research would not

have been possible. The researchers would like to thank them, along with their parents for being

willing and patient for the completion of the study.

Also, the researcher greatly appreciate all types of support they received from their parents.

They thank the parents for their patience when they would have late meetings or sleepovers for the

completion of the study.

For the Man above, the researchers thank Him for all the wisdom He has granted upon them.

They thank Him for granting their prayers. Without Him, the researchers would have lost their way and

their strength to finish the study.

Introduction

Social conformity is a type of social influence that may result to one's change in behavior or

belief in order to fit in with the majority. This is usually a response to real or imagined pressure of

social norms or majority influences. This goes with mankind’s common tendency to desire to fit in and

to be liked.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 4

In 1932, Arthur Jenness conducted a study on group discussion as a factor for changing

one’s own opinion by giving participants the option to discuss their answers within smaller groups to

obtain the most accurate answer. This was followed by a study from Sherif (1935), which involved

asking participants observing a seemingly moving light. He aimed to find out how people are

influenced by others’ opinions. Solomon Asch believed the problem with this experiment was that

there was no specific or wrong answer. In 1955, he created his own experiment through the use of a

‘vision test’ through line judgment. The aim of his experiment was to investigate how much social

pressure from a large group could affect a person to conform.

It is still very clear in the present how people may be influenced by different opinions

regarding different topics. This research aims to discover how evident it is and its possible effects it

may have on an individual. ​Having a population of students, this will help establish if social conformity

is prevalent among them.

This experiment will bring a better understanding of social conformity in St. Paul College

Pasig through methods that will be used on high school students currently enrolled in the said

institution. The study focuses on how much social influence affects the decisions of the students.

These decisions can be as minor as what food to buy, or as significant as which Senior High School

track or college course they would take. The results of the experiment would be of great help to the

school authorities and administrators. Should the results show high levels of conformity, the

administrators ​can learn from and find ways to resolve these: they may implement programs or action

plans that will enable students to learn to decide for themselves. Through this research and its

outcomes, ​students will learn to make rational decisions with the use of objective independent thinking

so that they will not regret anything because of their desire to fit in​. This research can help make

social conformity more known to the public and policies may be set help lessen its effects among

students, especially when it can affect a student’s performance academically.

Social conformity has been extensively studied over the years and in different contexts, too.

Since the study will involve high school students, it can fill the gap in Asch’s experiment regarding the

lack of a female, high school perspective in his method. The theory regarding social conformity is that

it is in essence yielding to group pressure. In several cases, however, it is not just seen in groups, but

also when one is trying to be “in” with what is popular. In aiming to know and develop such theories
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 5

and methods, the group must be aware of the people they are observing. They must have an

intellectual observation regarding different perspectives. Through this research, ways that can help

develop this phenomenon can be discovered.

Research Problem

Do High School students of St. Paul College Pasig (Academic Year 2017-2018) conform to

the ideas of the majority when faced with the option to do so?

The research question seeks to answer the following questions:

● Do Grades 10 and 11 students conform to the ideas of the majority?

● Do they choose to conform if it means going against their own judgments?

● How, and to what extent do they consider the views and opinions of others?

● How often do they conform in a visual-spatial test?

Related Literature

Social Conformity

Sumpter and Pratt (2009) claimed that arriving at a consensus would depend on local

interactions. Each individual’s likelihood of choosing an option increases with the number of others

already committed to that option. This would mean that when more members of a group choose a

certain option, the last or succeeding member to choose will be more likely to choose the same

option.

Deutsch and Gerard (1955) stated that individuals usually comply because of the idea of

choosing the right answers. However, this will have negative consequences when one goes against

the group. According to Sevilla, Punsalan, Rovira, and Vendivel, (2006), non-conformity can lead to a

person’s unpopularity, loss of prestige and the like. However, Allen (1965) argued that non-conformity,

or in some cases, anti-conformity, can also reflect one’s independence. The comparison between

emotions and related goals is associated with public and private compliance in response to a favor

(Whatley, Webster, Smith & Rhodes 2010). They prevent the feeling of shame and fear by complying

to the public. With all this in mind, one must also take into consideration the factors brought upon by

the experiment.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 6

Moscovici and Faucheux (1972) stated that consensus is both a result and a form of treating

social conflict, by reducing the variation of inter and intraindividual responses. They also claimed that

consensus can be arrived at through these ways:

- When the majority has a norm and the minority partner is deprived of any norm;

- When partners are equal and each is in possession of his or her own norm; and

- When the minority partner has a norm, which he or she opposes to the norm of the majority

partner.

Consensus is known to be both beneficial and harmful. Asch (1955) stated that consensus

may be beneficial when it reaches a compromise among different ideas and beliefs from individuals.

However, he also stated that consensus obtained through conformity indicates a polluted social

process. Sumpter and Pratt (2009), meanwhile, argued that consensus provides the following

benefits: Maintenance of Group Cohesion, Enhancement of Decision Accuracy Compared with Lone

Individuals, and Improvement in Decision Speed. They also asserted that positive feedback can direct

most or all group members to the best available choice.

Sevilla (et al., 2006) claimed that an individual may still choose not to conform. The entire

social concept and phenomenon is either caused or resolved by:

1. Rejecting group norms and holding strongly to own attitudes;

2. Yielding to group norms because of outside pressure but privately disagreeing with

these;

3. Conforming facilely with the group’s norms without any deep changes in attitudes;

and

4. Exercising flexibility and discrimination in reacting to the group’s norms - accepting

some and rejecting others.

According to Thompson (1996), communication is necessary on a day to day basis as it is a

common aspect for interaction, and due to this conformity may seek to influence each other.

According to Johnson (1996), the larger or more complex a group is, the more likely it is that

subgroups form.

Reasons of Conformity
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 7

There are different reasons why people conform to other people (Lumbert, n.d). There are five

main reasons explaining why people comply: Correctness, Social Acceptance, Group Goals, Social

Identity, and Aligning Self. These reasons for conformity are validated by the research of ​Nail, Di

Domenico, and MacDonald (2013).

Correctness is compliance using social clues to choose the right judgement. Sevilla et al.2006

stated that less knowledge about the group situation leads to being more vulnerable to group

pressure. Easy tasks bring less social pressure to the subject, since they have less motivation. As

questions get more difficult, however, the subject will more likely turn to the group for clues on what to

answer or what decision to make. More knowledge on the topic can lead to better resistance to group

pressure.

Another reason is Social Acceptance, which is the desire to be accepted into the group. It is

closely connected to the idea of Deutsch and Gerard (1955), who stated that individuals choose to

conform because of the idea of being part of a group, as it assures them of being united through the

group’s idea. People may temporarily disregard their own well-being to be perceived as part of the

group (Johnson & Sheets, 2004). People conform to gain social approval (Goldstein, 2004). It enables

them to build social relationships and enhance their self-esteem​. People who have the majority

opinion tend to hold it, while people who belong to the minority group become more reluctant because

they see negative consequences for not fitting in the majority (Bassili, 2003). He claime​d “...When

people were asked to express their opinion on a particular topic, those who perceived themselves as

holding the minority opinion would be slower to express that opinion than those people who perceived

themselves as holding the majority opinion.” As the perceived size of the minority group decreased,

the minority individual felt even more hesitant to express their personal opinions. When Wallace,

Paulson, Lord, and Bond (2005) studied Social Acceptance, they found that an individual who smokes

would not dare to smoke when in the presence of individuals who expressed negative views on

smoking. However, if the subject is away from the group, or any form of social pressure against

smoking, the subject would smoke.

Group Goals is the third reason for social conformity. According to Lumbert, sometimes

individuals give way to other member’s opinions for the sake of the group’s unity. Buehler, ​Griffin, and

Rosset (1994) found that participants are strongly influenced by group opinions. For emotional
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 8

material, individuals are less likely to conform without having a lengthy discussion with other subjects.

This discussion enables a group to work towards a common goal, leading them to mutual agreement

and eventually, conformity. Prapavessis and Carron (1997) discovered that the perception and

understanding of one’s own sacrifices and one’s team members’ sacrifices greatly contribute to the

feeling of oneness and unity, which also affects the team members’ conformity to the team’s norms.

Personal sacrifice greatly affects how a group performs. They also stated that when a group functions

well, there is more likely to be more conformity within it.

Social Identity explains that the culture of a specific country affects individual choice. Lumbert

(n.d.) associates Social Identity with aspects of culture and sex. The study of Wood, Christense, Hebl

and Rothberger ​(1997) found that when an individual associates themselves with norms associated

with their sex-typed norms, the individual is more likely to obtain positive and motivational feelings.

Rewards of conformity depend on one's self-concept concerning sex-linked norms. Kim and Markus

(1999) found that conformity was more evident in East Asians whereas freedom and uniqueness were

more represented by Americans. It can be inferred from their study that the choices each individual

makes are highly influenced by one​’s own culture.

Lastly, Aligning Self is the idea of people reacting positively in various forms through groups,

and not individually, for it is affected by certain societal factors. People are more likely to react

positively when ideas are presented by groups. Considered a very important a​spect of conformity,

aligning oneself with a group involves incorporating oneself with individuals having the same ideas or

beliefs. This may involve forming a group based on these ideals. ​Vaes, Paladino, Castelli, Jeyens,

and Gionazzi (2003) proved that individuals react more positively to individuals from a group that

shares the same ideals. The individuals also view this “in-group” as more approachable compared to

other individuals from the “out-group” or individuals with other existing ideals. Vaes et al. (2003)

likewise observed that individuals of the “in-group” may have a hard time seeing the “out-group” as

human. The study suggests that individuals can dedicate themselves to the group ideals so much that

they can form biased judgments or prejudices against those who they consider to be members of the

“out-group.”

Social Influence
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 9

Teenagers give value to social acceptance. They believe changing their behaviors will help

them obtain acceptance (Wortham, 2015). With the right measures, peer pressure can be avoided.

Peer pressure comes in multiple forms and different intensities. Wortham (2015) stated, “adolescents

can adopt behaviors like changing the kind of clothes they wear or forming negative attitudes to

conform to what their peers are influencing them to have.”

Sherif (1936), following a tradition established by Durkheim (1897/1966), Sumner (1906),

Cooley (1909), Moore (1921), Thrasher (1927), and Shaw (1930), argued that "rules, customs, values,

and other sorts of norms" develop, inevitably, whenever people "come together in a situation that lasts

for any considerable time.” A group of people find themselves in an unstructured, ambiguous situation

where they have no reference point to define their expectations, perceptions, or activities

spontaneously seek out information from others in the group. Sherif did not think that the group

members grudgingly conform to the judgments of others, but rather they use the information

contained in other’s responses to revise their own opinions and beliefs. This can explain why some

individuals would choose to conform to a large group when given a task without any background of it.

Newcomb (1943) based his explanation on the assumption that individuals evaluate their

attitudes by comparing themselves to other members of their group. This may explain why some

students would agree or go with different personalities depending on the person they are with.

Newcomb’s findings are consistent with the idea that people use groups or social aggregates as

standards or frames of reference when evaluating their abilities, attitudes, or beliefs (Hyman, 1960).

Change may occur when a person has established a behavioral pattern, a way of thinking and

responding to a situation (Pervin, 1984). Human behavior expresses pattern, integration, and

organization which may result to change depending on the relationship it has with its surroundings.

Majority Influence

Group pressure can change or maintain attitudes. Being in the presence of a group can

influence ideas, decisions, and behaviors (Sevilla et al., 2006). Similarly, Erickson (1988) argued that

attitudes are confirmed and reinforced when they are shared with the comparison group, but altered

when they are discrepant. Persons with a need for social approval would be satisfied by presenting

themselves in a more favorable light and evaluating themselves in a culturally sanctioned manner
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 10

(Stickland & Crowne, 1962). The need for approval would affect behavior in many situations beyond

those of a self-evaluative nature. People highly motivated to obtain approval or favor are expected to

respond in order to maximize this need in a variety of social contexts.As the desire to be accepted into

a group increases, so does the amount of group pressure one feels (Sevilla et al., 2006).

Conformity Among Adolescents

​Young adolescents, including young teenagers in Junior High School, feel great pressure to

conform to their peers. If they are unable to create a sense of independence, the tendency to conform

will lead to low self-esteem and confidence.

​Zhang, Deng, Yu, Zhao, and Liu ​(2016) ​conducted a study involving 152 adolescents. The

study dealt with correlating social anxiety and social conformity. The study’s interaction condition

showed that adolescents with high social anxiety (HSA) would be less likely to conform when faced

with an Asch task, compared to adolescents with low social anxiety. Meanwhile in the experiment’s

judgment condition, adolescents with HSA would more likely conform to the majority. Zhang et al.

(2016) believe that socially anxious adolescents avoid potential social situations with weaker

conformity, while avoiding negative evaluations from others with stronger conformity.

Teunissen, Spijkerman, and Prinstein (2013) discovered that individuals were more willing to

conform to the more popular peers compared to those they considered to be unpopular. The study

suggests that while teenagers easily accept norms through conformity, they can also decline certain

norms through conformity as well. Furthermore, the research shows how an individual’s perceived

popularity of a group can highly affect the individual’s decision making.

Major Experiments

The Role of Discussion in Changing Opinion Regarding A Matter of Fact by

Arthur Jenness (1932)

Jenness conducted one of the earliest studies on conformity. He filled glass bottles

with 811 beans each. He asked each participant to estimate how many beans were contained

and to take note of these estimates. The group was split into smaller groups where they were

to discuss the answer as to how many beans were in the jar. After the groups’ discussions,
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 11

the participants were given the opportunity to change their original estimates. Jenness (1932)

asserted that discussion is not effective in changing opinion unless the individual engaged in

the group discussion becomes aware of the different opinions from the other individuals of the

group.

Social Factors in Perception by Muzafer Sherif (1936)

Muzafer Sherif, Ph.D. conducted an experiment which required seven participants to

observe a small dot moving in a dark room. However, the dot was not really moving. The

illusion was caused by what Sherif described to be as the autokinetic effect. At first, all

participants reported different distances of movement. On the succeeding days, the

participants claimed to have the observed the same amount of movement as the others.

Sherif stated that the experiment represented how various social norms in specific settings

would develop in the society, given that there are numerous factors that can affect these

norms.

Opinions and Social Pressure by Solomon Asch (1955)

The method used by Solomon Asch on male college students was designed to test

how conformity would affect someone’s judgments. It involved eight participants seated

strategically, with the genuine subject on the second to the last seat. Seven of them were

considered confederates who were told what to answer during critical trials. They were told to

say their answers loudly as each question appears. Asch found that over one-third of the

participants made errors in the critical trials. The critical trials proved to make a difference on

the answers of the participant.

Asch (1955) also explained that subjects are less likely to conform when they have a

‘partner’ who has the same idea. However, if the ‘partner’ leaves the group, the subject is

more likely to make errors. Allen and Levine (1969) also claimed that group consensus can

be broken when a partner agrees exactly with the subject, providing the subject social

support. This Social Support significantly reduced conformity.

Types of Conformity

Kelman (1958) states that there are three types of conformity:

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 12

​Compliance

Compliance occurs when an individual accepts influence because of the hope to

achieve a favorable reaction from an individual or a group. The person will adopt the behavior

because they expect to gain specific rewards or approval and to avoid punishments or

disapproval, not because of the individual’s own belief. Kelman (1958) stated that the

satisfaction derived from compliance is due to the ​social effect​ of accepting influence.

​Identification

Identification, according to Kelman (1958), occurs when an individual accepts the

influence of an individual or group because of the desire to establish or maintain satisfying

self-defining relationships with them. This relationship may be identified as classical

identification, in which the individual takes the role of the other, or takes the reciprocal role

relationship. In this case, the individual believes in the responses adopted through

identification, but the content itself may be seen as more or less irrelevant.

Internalization

Internalization, according to Kelman (1958), is said to occur when an individual

accepts influence because the content of the induced behavior, including the ideas and

actions which make up the behavior, is intrinsically rewarding. Behavior with ​internalization

has the tendency to be integrated with the individual’s currently existing values and beliefs.

The satisfaction derived from internalization is due to the content of the new behavior.

Previous research in Social Psychology have focused more on two types of social conformity,

Informational Influence and ​Normative Influence​, terms formed by Deutsch and Gerard (1955)​. ​When

comparing the different terminologies, Kelman’s ​Internalization can be paired with Informational

Influence whereas ​Compliance​ can be paired with Normative Influence.

Informational Influence

Informational Social Influence is defined as an influence to accept information from

another as ​evidence about reality. It occurs when an individual assumes the actions or

behaviors of another individual or group in an attempt to find the correct action or behavior. It

is conformity based on the belief that the interpretation of others would be more accurate than
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 13

one’s own.

Normative Influence

Deutsch and Gerard (1955) described Normative Social Influence, or Normative

Conformity, as an influence to conform with the positive expectations of another, including

positive reinforcements rather than negative ones. It is likewise known as influence of others

that brings one to conform because of the desire to be liked or accepted by them.

Factors Affecting Conformity

There are factors that affect why the people mostly conform. First is Age. ​Pasupathi (1999),

through his research that involved studying conformity among individuals aged 18-91, stated that

older adults show less reliance on social pressure to make judgments. As individuals age, they gain a

better sense of independence and individual judgment, which is augmented by their growing

experience. ​Walker and Andrade (1996), with their study that involved Australian adolescents and children

aged 3-17, similarly found that the tendency to conform decreases as an individual’s age increases.

Another factor affecting conformity is Gender​. Wood et al., (1997), suggested that the rewards

of conformity depend on one’s self-concept regarding sex-typed norms. They claimed that if these are

viewed as part of the individual’s social identity, then positive outcomes will result as part of a

relationship.

Family is also a factor. Meeus (1989) discussed the effect of parental influence on the child’s

decision making process and social development. Feldman and Wentzel (1900) add that young

adolescents who have strong a re​lationship with their parents are more likely to have great social

relationships and satisfaction. Given this, the researchers should consider parents as one of the

factors that have a great influence on conformity.

The culture of the participants also affects their tendency and likelihood to conform. In a study

by Kim and Markus (1999), conformity was represented in East Asian participants while

independence and uniqueness were more represented by Americans. In East Asian cultures,

conformity is closely linked with harmony and connectedness. Meanwhile, American culture

associates positive outcomes of freedom with uniqueness.

Lastly is environment, Richardson (2002) described that attributing to people’s behavior can
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 14

be primarily caused by the different perspectives in certain situations that can affect the

characteristics that a person can express. Some types of behaviour at particular times may generate

attribution. Based from the chapter​, Getting into line: Conformity and social norms, it was stated that

there are factors, and pressures that pushes an individual to imitate other behaviors in order to fit in

the society. Behavior is shaped by the desire to be like those around you and the dispositions are not

obvious and since they will attribute to the situational forces.

This research can significantly contribute to the existing field of study because it won’t just

tackle the presence of conformity, but also its extent. Furthermore, this research can contribute to the

knowledge in this field by studying adolescents in their school setting. Rather than focusing on the

adolescent’s tendency to turn to negative behavior such as smoking cutting class, etc. This research

focuses on everyday activities that require making crucial decisions that will largely affect their future.

Also, little is known about Filipino High School students regarding conformity. This research shall be

part of the small population of papers on conformity among Filipinos.

Methodology

The study made use of an experimental method, patterned after the Asch Experiment. Asch

manipulated environment in the Asch Experiment (1955), to produce a control situation for the

minorities, and an interview to be conducted right after. The method was designed to ensure that the

researchers will get the best results from analyzing candid human behavior and responses. The

researchers repeated the experiment several times with different groups of people while keeping the

same proportions; four were part of the majority while only one was part of the minority. Instead of

using the line test by Solomon Asch, the researchers found reliable sources to recreate a multiple

choice visual spatial exam, with participants having to find images that match a much larger image.

The research is focused on the responses and behaviors of students from Grades 10 and 11

of St. Paul College Pasig’s High School Department for Academic Year 2017-2018. Within the

population, the researchers were able to study the responses and the behaviors of 16 students.

The only information given to the participants was in the assent forms they were given while

the confederates were given special instructions to follow specific answers in specific numbers. The
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 15

sampling technique was random as the researchers only approached students who were free during

lunch break for a briefing session.

The briefing of Grades 10 and 11 students consisted of having the consent and assent forms

read, explained, and given to them by the researchers. The researchers would contact these chosen

participants in order to know if they, along with their parents, agree to be part of the study.

Participants were assigned to batches consisting of five members each, one of which was the

minority. For each batch, the minority was asked to sit on the last chair, Chair 5, in the testing venue

(Library Discussion Room, Grade 12 Room 4, or Mo. Madeleine E-Classroom). The chairs were

arranged in one row, with the minority seated on the last chair.

When all participants have been properly seated and given testing materials, the researchers

introduced themselves and gave instructions, rules, and reminders for the test proper.

One by one, each question was shown to all of the participants, with each question having

four choices each. The first participant, a member of the majority, in the rightmost seat was to

immediately give out her answer. The next student was to follow suit. The minority was intentionally

placed as the last student for her to be in the position to conform. When the minority has answered,

the researcher would show the next question.

For the first two questions, the majority answered correctly. By the third question, the majority

started giving out wrong answers, as instructed by the researchers. This process continued for 18

questions. During the process, one researcher was tallying the minority’s answers while one was

holding up the boards with questions and repeating each participant’s answers.

Right after the test, the minority was asked to proceed to another part of the venue for a

debriefing and interview session to be conducted by another researcher.

Since the research focuses on the thoughts and decisions of the students, the major data to

be collected were the responses of the students to the specific chances to conform within the test.

Although ​t​he table shows the summarized answers of the participants during the interview which,

researchers also took note of real errors of each participant. To ensure that the tallies and errors were

properly documented, the researchers constructed a Record Sheet to be used during the test proper

for a researcher to use for tallying.

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 16

The study made use of a mix of Descriptive and Inferential Statistics. Descriptive Statistics

was used to describe the population whereas Inferential Statistics was used to predict how the

population would act or respond to certain situations when faced with the option to conform.

Since the tests occurred during the researchers’ lunch break, the rest of the time was used to

tally the number of times minorities (who took their test that day) conformed. The record sheets were

used to calculate each minority’s correct answers, real errors, errors caused by conformity, and total

errors. The results were summarized in fractions and were then converted into percentages. The

researchers also took note of the number of times minorities conformed to specific numbers. This was

translated into a line graph. All of these will be discussed in a latter part of the paper.

Although the researchers have given 26 consent and assent forms, only 21 participated in the

study, with five for the test run, and 16 for the experimental method. Among the population of 762, the

researchers were only able to study the behaviors of 16 students. With only around 2% of the

population participating, there may not be a very accurate or thorough representation of the

population’s behaviors.

Results and Discussion

The purpose of this research was to analyze the extent to which high school students conform

to the idea of the majority group given the choice to do so. The research group aimed to answer the

following questions through data that was gathered: a) Do Grade 10 and 11 students conform to the

ideas of the majority?; b) Do they choose to conform if it means going against their own judgements?;

and, c) How, and to what extent do they consider the views and opinions of others?

An experiment similar to the one conducted by Asch was administered of the students of St.

Paul College Pasig, 16 students from grades 10 and 11 participated. Participant results were

categorized into two themes: social conformity and nonconformity.

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 17

Fig. 1: Conformity Rate of Participants

The pie chart displays the conformity rate in the experiment. All 16 participants conformed at

least once when they were given 9 chances to conform. A few participants also conformed as many

as 8 times during thes test. Compared to Asch’s experiment that obtained a 75% conformity rate, the

research has garnered a much higher rate. By comparing the conformity rates of this research and

the study of Asch (1955), it can be comparable to the results of Pasupathi (1999) and Walker &

Andrade (1996), whose studies point out that an individual’s age increases, their tendency to conform

decreases. In this case, it can be inferred that the conformity rate is higher partly because of the age

of the participants. While Asch (1955) had college students for his sample, the researchers had high

school students.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 18

Fig. 2: Number of Conformists per Given Option to Conform

The graph displays the number of conformists per number. The graph only displays the

numbers which give the participants the option to conform. On the record sheets of the researchers,

these numbers were labeled as letters. As shown in the table, conformity is present in all numbers.

Despite this, there is no significant reason or explanation as to why this is the pattern. Numbers 1 and

2 were not included in the graph because students did not conform at the beginning of the test and

only started to conform as the numbers progressed.

The graph shows the pattern of the participants’ answers. Based on observation​, for the first

three items, there was a smaller rate of conformity compared to items 6-10. One of the factors that the

researchers are considering is the difficulty of the questions as well as the pressure that the

participants felt due to the previous answers of the confederates. They may have noticed that their

answers are contradictory with the answers of the other test takers. ​Another factor that may affect the

participants’ ability to answer is a lack of understanding of the situation. According to Sherif (1936),

“[if] a group of people find themselves in an unstructured, ambiguous situation where they have no

reference point to define their expectations, perceptions, or activities, they spontaneously seek out

information from others in the group”. In the case of the research, this is supported by what one

participant said when asked if she understood the test. She said, ​“‘Di ko alam kung ano nagyayari

kaya basta nalang.”

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 19

QUESTIONS ANSWERS FROM THE 16 PARTICIPANTS

1. During the test, did you change your answers? Half of the participants claimed they did whilst
the other half claimed that they did not.

2. Would you have kept your answers if majority of the Majority of the participants claimed that they
group had the same answer? answered based on their ‘gut feeling’.
a. Why or why not?
b. Why did you keep your It was a very rare occurrence for participants
answer? to conform because they felt their answers
were wrong.

3. Have you ever felt the need to change yourself in Most of the participants stated that they would
order to fit in with a group of friends? not change themselves to fit in with a group.
a. How big were these changes?
b. Can you give a concrete example?
c. What was the outcome when you did these
changes?

4. If your regular group of friends started befriending While half of the participants claimed to be
someone you dislike, “okay” with the situation. However, majority of
a. How would you react? them would be more inclined to befriend the
b. Would you be more inclined to make friends person.
with her/him?

5. When you choosing a track, would you carefully Most of the students consider what their
consider what your friends and family want you to friends and family think.
choose?
a.What were yours and your family’s
considerations?

6. If majority of the class said that the upcoming quiz A greater number of the students stated that
would be easy and some people are not reviewing they would still study.
for it would you or would you not review?

7. When choosing your GIFT class, would you base More than half of the participants claimed that
your decision on your interest or where most of your their choice of GIFT is based on their own
friends are? interests.

8.If you are in the canteen about to wait in line and The majority answered stating that they would
someone you are with, a friend, decides to cut in line, cut in line with their friends.
would you join them or stop them?
a. Cut in line because your friend is there?
b. Simply cut in line?

9. If you and your friends decide to watch a movie but Almost all of the participants would be willing
majority of them want to watch a different movie from to watch the movie the majority chose.
what you want, would you:
a. Watch alone or? Or
b. Join them?
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 20

10. If someone had a crush on you and people are Half of the participants would follow their
telling you to give that person a chance, would feelings.
you:
a. Follow them? or
b. Follow what you want?

11. How would you feel if majority of your friends are Most of the participants would feel neutral
in a relationship? about it. A smaller portion of the majority
a. Would you be more encouraged to look for a would not be encouraged to engage in a
relationship? relationship.

Table 1: Summary of Participants’ Interview Answers

As presented in Table 1, the participants have common answers for each number. During the

interview, it was observed that the participants were either nervous or hesitant in answering the

questions. Although the answers were given, it was also observed that ​the participants often changed

them and were unsure. In fact, one of the participants asked ​“Ano sabi ko kanina?” The researchers

documented the statements given by the participants via voice recording, note taking, and

transcribing. During the interview, observations were also made. The researchers were able to easily

summarize and divide the answers of the participants into two. The calculation for the first question

was summed into 50% for “Yes” and 50% for “No”. A record of the responses of two (2) participants

are as follows: “Some of the answers”, “A little, not really because I want to copy them but I want to

make some time”.

On the third question, when asked whether the participant would change themselves to fit in

the group. 88% answered “Yes”. However, they claim that this only applies to their personalities and

dislikes. Some participant answers are as follows: “I have a certain way of acting towards people”,

“Hindi naman..yung sobrang ibang ibang way. Alam mo yung may things na sobrang interested sila,

tapos gusto mo na rin panuorin”​, “There are just things I can compromise on”. ​Under the same

question, 13% of the respondents refused to change themselves citing the following answers: “Not

really. I let them adjust to me instead”, “​No, kasi why would I change myself for...someone. It’s like I’m

lying to myself”​.

Results for the fifth question show that ​for those who responded “Yes”, they answered that

they will consider what was suggested by their family but they will make the final decision. One of the

respondents wanted to take the HUMSS (Humanities and Social Sciences) track, but her family
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 21

pushed her to choose the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) track instead.

Those who said “No” to the fifth question stated that they would think for themselves.

For the sixth question, 69% answered that they will still review for the quiz. Some statements

of those who said that they will study are: “I will still study”, “no because sometimes I don’t study and

I’ll regret it because I forgot everything so I need a refresher”, “​I’d still study. Kasi...I don’t know i-it’s

my thing. I just study everything so that whatever happens at least I know something​”. While 31% of

the participants claimed they would not review. Participant statements are as follows; “No. Because I

don’t let the majority like manipulate or control exactly what I do. If they say it’s easy I still need to

review for it, because what if it helps even if it’s easy”, ​“yes (on not reviewing) kasi damayan lang

yan”​.

Conformity can also be observed but to a limited extent regarding certain situations they are

in. For example, when choosing a track between interest and opinions there is a huge difference in

conformity. This means that if a question relates to something that will have a huge impact on the

participants’ lives they choose to conform less compared to when the question relates to something

temporary or insignificant , where conformity may happen easily.

The participants’ responses may be explained by theories and researches that have been

conducted relating to social conformity. One reason is age. Pasupathi (1999) states that older persons

(aged 18-91) show less reliance on social pressure to make judgements. The population consists of

students aged 15-17, this age group is where conformity is evident. This has been observed in the

study of Sevilla (et al., 2006) regarding conformity among adolescents, wherein he stated that young

adolescents feel great pressure to conform with their peers.

Identification is another factor that can influence conformity. This happens when individuals

choose to let a group or an individual influence them because of the desire to create or maintain a

satisfying self-defining relationship with them. This is illustrated when participants would let peers

influence them on their interest. One participant in particular stated, “I would also look into their

interest”. In totality, participants seek to relate to others by letting others influence them with interest

and actions.

According to Solomon Asch a factor in conformity is “they tend to vary to the majority opinion.

From the data and their observations, the researchers were able to infer that the participants’
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 22

behavior, morals and values may often change due to the environment setting, family and friends

surrounding them. Conformity was present among the participants, and the results suggest that the

individuals tend to change their perspective in order “to fit in” or “be one with the majority”. Another

factor affecting their decision making is that since they are adolescents, majority of them are eager for

self development in terms of actions in order to compromise with people.

Conclusions & Recommendations

This presents the Analysis of The Extent of Social Conformity in Decision Making Among

SPCP Grades 10 and Grade 11 students. T​he results of the ​experiment bring ​the conclusion that

Grades 10 and 11 students do conform to the ideas of the majority. The Grades 10 and 11 students

conformed despite the incorrect answers that were given by the majority because they felt the need to

have the same answer as the rest of the group, and some were pressured due to time constraints.

Nonetheless, they still conformed even if their decisions went against their own individual judgments.

In the test, the participants conformed at an average of 3.875 times, or 43.06% of the time.

The participants admitted that they conformed in some instances, but when it comes to

making big decisions, they conform less. In the case of this research, as the weight of the decision

gets heavier, there is lesser consideration to conform. W​hen arriving at big decisions, participants

claimed to consider a lot of factors such family advice, talents, personal belief, and interest before

deciding.

After completing the research, the researchers have carefully selected and studied these

recommendations for future researchers, the students and the school. ​For the school administration,

these recommendations will help regulate the effects of social conformity among High School

students to ensure that the students develop independent critical thinking and decision making. For

future researchers, the recommendations would help in the advancement of the research and the

expansion of knowledge on Social Conformity.

Firstly, the researchers would like to request the SPCP community to hold talks, programs,

activities, or other initiatives sponsored by the Guidance, Homeroom, and PHCT. We believe these

talks would be of great help to the students, These will enable them to make decisions on their own
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 23

accords, and to lessen the effects of the already existing social pressure. However, to make it more

desirable or fun for the students, these talks can revolve around establishing a unique social identity

or pursuing one’s own individual interests or beliefs. The people in charge can utilize the Homeroom

Advisory and Guidance periods. The administration may also consider it being a topic during

recollections.

If interested in conducting a similar study, researchers should consider having a larger

number of participants to come up with a better understanding of the topic​. A larger sample size can

also help the results of the study be more valid, reliable, and accurate. Researchers should strive to

have a better diversity set of participants. For example, they may be interested in studying and

comparing rates of conformity among different grade levels and eventually follow through with

studying the correlation of conformity and age.

Within the current research locale, researchers may want to consider studying conformity

within groups in the school such as varsity teams, student orgs, student officer groups, etc. This can

contribute to the little research on conformity within social groups.

On the topic of groups, researchers may also want to consider studying conformity in different

groups outside school, like conformity in a relationship or famil​y. This may help the society in learning

more about conformity by studying other situations that may show how conformity affect their

decision, and from their researchers can analyze the positive and negative effects of conformity. This

can also contribute to the very small number of studies done in the Philippines and Asia regarding

Social Conformity.

Adding questions for the exam will also help the researchers obtain more valid results since

they will be giving participants more options to conform. Adding questions for the interview will also

enable more confirmation to their results. It would also be of great help to add questions regarding the

individual’s awareness of their conformity, the frequency (or how often) they consider the opinions of

others, and questions outside the school setting to the interview.

The researchers of this study believe that by considering and following through with some of

these recommendations, future researchers can contribute greatly to the expansion of knowledge on

Social Conformity. The research may also open a new area of interest in the topic that can also be

followed by other studies.

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 24

References

● Asch, S.E. (1955). “Opinions and Social Pressure.” ​Scientific American​, ​193​(5), 31-35

● Bassili, J.N., (2003). The Minority Slowness Effect: Subtle Inhibitions in the Expression of

Views Not Shared by Others. J​ournal of Personality and Social Psychology,​ ​84(​ 2), 261-276

● Buehler, R., Griffin, D., & Ross, M. (1994). Exploring the "Planning Fallacy": Why People

Underestimate Their Task Completion Times. ​Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,

67(​ 3)​, ​366-381

● Deković, M., & Meeus, W. (1997). Peer Relations in Adolescence: Effects of Parenting and

Adolescents Self-concept. ​Journal of Adolescence, 20(​ 2), 163-176.

● Deutsch, M., & Gerald, H., (1955). A study of Normative and Informational Social Influences

Upon Individual Judgement

● Forsyth, D.R., (2000). "Social Comparison and Influence in Groups." In Handbook of Social

Comparison: Theory and Research ,edited by Jerry M. Suls and Ladd Wheeler, 81-103. New

York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers

● Jenness, A. (1932). The Role of Discussion In Changing Opinion Regarding A Matter of Fact

● John, O. P., Robins, R. W., & Pervin, L. A. (2011). ​Handbook of personality: theory and

research. New York: Guilford​. New York, New York: Routledge

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 25

● Johnson, A.G. (1996). Human Arrangements: An introduction to Sociology. William C Brown

Communications

● Johnson, T.J., & Sheets, V.L., (2004). Measuring College Students’ Motives for Playing

Drinking Games. ​Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18​(2), 91-99

● Kelman, H. (n.d.). Compliance, identification, and internalization: Three processes of attitude

change. Retrieved March 03, 2018, from

https://scholar.harvard.edu/hckelman/publications/compliance-identification-and-internalizatio

n-three-processes-attitude-change

● Kim, H., & Markus, H.R., (1999). Deviance or Uniqueness, Harmony or Conformity? A

Cultural Analysis. ​Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,​ ​77(​ 4), 785-800

● Mark A. Whatley, J. Matthew Webster, Richard H. Smith & Adele Rhodes (2010) The Effect of

a Favor on Public and Private Compliance: How Internalized is the Norm of Reciprocity?:

Basic and Applied Social Psychology

● Lumbert, S.P. (n.d.). Conformity and Group Mentality: Why We Comply.

● Nail, P.R., Di Domenico, S.I., & MacDonald, G. (2013). Proposal of a Double Diamond Model

of Social Response. ​Review of General Psychology, 17​(1), 1–19

● Pasupathi, M., (1999). Age Differences in Response to Conformity Pressure for Emotional

and Nonemotional Material. ​Psychology and Aging​, ​14(​ 1), 170-174

● Prapavessis, H., & Carron, A. V. (1997). Sacrifice, cohesion, and conformity to norms in sport

teams. ​Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 1​(3), 231-240.

● Richardson, D. (2014). Social Psychology for Dummies. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

● Ross & Nisbett (2011). “Social Influence and Tension Systems", The Person and the

Situation: Perspectives of Social Psychology.

● Sevilla, C.G., Punsalan, T.G., Rovira, L.G., Vendivel, F.G. (2006). ​General Psychology: With

Values Development Lessons. ​Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store

● Sherif, M. (1935). A Study of Some Social Factors in Phenomenon. ​Archives of Psychology.

● Strickland, B.R., &, D.P. (1960). Conformity Under Conditions of Stimulated Group Pressure

​ 71-181
as a Function of the Need for Social Approval.​ The Journal of Social Psychology, 58, 1
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 26

● Sumpter, D.J.T., & Pratt, S.C. (2009). Quorum Responses and Consensus Decision Making.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 364, ​743-753

● Teunissen, H.A., Spijkerman, R., Prinstein, M.J., Cohen, G.L., Engels, R.C.M.E., & Scholte,

R.H.J.​ (​ 2012). Adolescents’ Conformity to Their Peers’ Pro-Alcohol and Anti-Alcohol Norms:

The Power of Popularity. ​Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research

● Thompson, N. (1996). People skills. London: Mcmillan.

● Vaes, J., Paladino, M.P., Castelli, L., Jeyens, J.P., & Gionazzi, A. (2003). On the Behavioral

Consequences of Infrahumanization: The Implicit Role of Uniquely Human Emotions in

Intergroup Relations. ​Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85​(6), 1016-1034

● Walker, M., & Andrade, M. (1996). Conformity in the Asch Task as a Function of Age. ​The

Journal of Social Psychology.​ 1

​ 36​(3), 367–372

● Wallace D.S., Paulson, R.M., Lord, C.G., & Bond, C.F., (2005). Which Behaviors Do Attitudes

Predict? Meta-Analyzing the Effects of Social Pressure and Perceived Difficulty. ​Review of

General Psychology​, ​9​(3), 214-227

● Wasserman, S. (1997). ​Advances in Social Network Analysis: Research in the Social and

Behavioral Sciences.​ London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications

● Wood, W., Christensen, P.N., Hebl, M.R., & Rothgerber, H. (1997). ​Journal of Personality and

Social Psychology, 73​(3), ​523-535

● Wortham, M., (2015). The Effects of Peer Pressure on Adolescents

● Zhang, P., Deng, Y., Yu, X., Zhao, X., & Liu, X., (2016). Social Anxiety, Stress Type, and

COnformity among Adolescents. ​Frontiers in Psychology, 7​, 760’

Appendices

Appendix 1. Sample of the Record Sheet

Question Correct Confederates Participant’s
Number Number ’ Answers Answers

1 B B B

2 B B B

A D C C

B D C C
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 27

5 A A A

C B D B

7 D D B

D C A A

9 B B B

E D C C

F B A A

12 A A A

13 B B B

G A D B

15 B B B

H B C B

17 D D B

I A B B

Appendix 2. Sample Question in the Visual Spatial Exam

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 28

Appendix 3. Participants’ Answers for Visual Spatial Exam

Appendix 4. Interview Questions

Research: Interview Questions
1. During the test did you change your answers
2. Would you have kept your answers if majority of the group had the same answer?
a. Why or why not?
b. Why did you keep your answer?
3. Have you ever felt the need to change yourself in order to fit in with a group of friends?
a. How big were these changes?
b. Can you give a concrete example?
c. What was the outcome when you did these changes?
4. If your regular group of friends started befriending someone you dislike,
a. How would you react?
b. Would you be more inclined to make friends with her/him?
5. When you choosing a track, would you carefully consider what your friends and family want
you to choose?
a. What were yours and your family’s considerations?
6. If majority of the class said that the upcoming quiz would be easy and some people are not
reviewing for it would you or would you not review?
7. When choosing your GIFT class, would you base your decision on your interest or where
most of your friends are?
8. If you are in the canteen about to wait in line and someone you are with, a friend, decides to
cut in line, would you join them or stop them?
a. Cut in line because your friend is there?
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 29

b. Simply cut in line?

9. If you and your friends decide to watch a movie but majority of them want to watch a different
movie from what you want, would you:
a. Watch alone? Or
b. Join them?
10. If someone had a crush on you, and people are telling you to give the person a chance, would
you:
a. Follow them? Or
b. Follow what you want?
11. How would you feel if majority of your friends were in relationships?
a. Would you be more encouraged to engage in a relationship?

Appendix 5. Table of Number of Conformists per Give Option to Conform

Appendix 6. Table of Participants’ Interview Answers

QUESTIONS ANSWERS FROM THE 16 PARTICIPANTS

1. During the test, did you change your answers? Half of the participants claimed they did whilst
the other half claimed that they did not.

2. Would you have kept your answers if majority of the Majority of the participants claimed that they
group had the same answer? answered based on their ‘gut feeling’.
a. Why or why not?
b. Why did you keep your
answer?
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 30

It was a very rare occurrence for participants

to conform because they felt their answers
were wrong.

3. Have you ever felt the need to change yourself in Most of the participants stated that they would
order to fit in with a group of friends? not change themselves to fit in with a group.
d. How big were these changes?
e. Can you give a concrete example?
f. What was the outcome when you did these
changes?

4. If your regular group of friends started befriending While half of the participants claimed to be
someone you dislike, “okay” with the situation. However, majority of
c. How would you react? them would be more inclined to befriend the
d. Would you be more inclined to make friends person.
with her/him?

5. When you choosing a track, would you carefully Most of the students consider what their
consider what your friends and family want you to friends and family think.
choose?
a.What were yours and your family’s
considerations?

6. If majority of the class said that the upcoming quiz A greater number of the students stated that
would be easy and some people are not reviewing they would still study.
for it would you or would you not review?

7. When choosing your GIFT class, would you base More than half of the participants claimed that
your decision on your interest or where most of your their choice of GIFT is based on their own
friends are? interests.

8.If you are in the canteen about to wait in line and The majority answered stating that they would
someone you are with, a friend, decides to cut in line, cut in line with their friends.
would you join them or stop them?
c. Cut in line because your friend is there?
d. Simply cut in line?

9. If you and your friends decide to watch a movie but Almost all of the participants would be willing
majority of them want to watch a different movie from to watch the movie the majority chose.
what you want, would you:
c. Watch alone or? Or
d. Join them?

10. If someone had a crush on you and people are Half of the participants would follow their
telling you to give that person a chance, would feelings.
you:
c. Follow them? or
d. Follow what you want?

11. How would you feel if majority of your friends are Most of the participants would feel neutral
in a relationship? about it. A smaller portion of the majority
b. Would you be more encouraged to look for a would not be encouraged to engage in a
relationship? relationship.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 31

​ umber of Conformists per Given Option to Conform

Appendix 7.​ N

Appendix 8. Researchers’ Script For Briefing

Bea: ​Good afternoon! I am Bea Lagman, your guide or chaperone for your test today. At this point,
you will only be allowed to talk to me to ask questions. You will not be allowed to talk to other
participants. Should you need to do so, you may bring out review materials for your quiz or
homeworks as long as you do not disturb the other participants. However, as I call your name, please
give me your consent and assent forms and you will be guided to your testing area.

Bea: ​Before we call on participants, may I know if any of you need to leave early so that you will be
prioritized to take the test first. This will enable you to finish and to leave earlier.

Bea: ​At this point, may I call for the following for their test. Anina Flores, Reign Cambri, Lindsay
Medrano, and ________. Please submit your forms if you haven’t yet before following me to the
testing center.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 32

Mika: Good afternoon! I am Mikaela Galvez. I will be administering your test today. Please listen to
the instructions I will give you.
1. You are about to take a visual-spatial test.
2. You are given a pencil along with scratch papers should you need to do any sketching or
computations.
3. You will be given 18 questions, with a simple task.
4. For numbers 1-10, you will be asked to choose which shape CANNOT be formed from the
given. For numbers 11-18, you will be asked to choose which option MATCHES the shape
above.
5. Please say your answer loudly and clearly so that the test proctor will not have difficulty
understanding.
6. After the test you will be asked to step out for the next stage of our research.
7. During the test, you will not be allowed to talk to anybody, except the researchers. You will
only be allowed to talk to us if you feel that you do not wish to participate anymore. Keep in
mind that you and your parents have agreed.

Mika:​ ​At this point, I will introduce your test proctor and we will begin the test right after.

Lui: I am Lui Medrano, I will be recording your answers. Before we start the test, may I ask all of you
to state your surnames starting with participant #1.

Mika: We will now begin. For number 1: “Again, please choose the option that cannot be formed by
the given. We will start with participant number 1.”
For number 11: “Now we will ask you to choose an option that will match the larger image”

Lui: ​That will be all for our experimental stage. Participant #5 please proceed outside for your
interview session.

Ari: Good afternoon! I am Arianna Garchitorena. I will be interviewing you today about your
experiences earlier. Please keep in mind that whatever you have experienced has been told to your
parents and they have agreed for you to be here. If you no longer have any questions, I will now
proceed to our interview.

Ari:​ Thank you for participating in our Research. Have a wonderful day! *give chocolate after*
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 33

Appendix 9. Assent Form for Students

This informed assent form is for children between ages of 15-18 who are currently studying in
St. Paul College, Pasig’s High School Department and who are willing to participate in a research
involving a visual spatial test.

Mikaela Ana Galvez Arianna Garchitorena

Principle Investigator Principle Investigator

Anne Beatrice Lagman

Louise Medrano
Principle Investigator
Principle Investigator

Noted by:

This Informed Assent Form has two parts:

● Information Sheet (gives you information about the study)
● Certificate of Assent (this is where you sign if you agree to participate)
You will be given a copy of the full Informed Assent Form

Part I: Information Sheet

Introduction
We are Mikaela Ana Galvez, Arianna Elisha Garchitorena, Anne Beatrice Lagman, and Lui
Medrano of Grade 12 Room 4 under the Humanities and Social Sciences academic track. ​We are
conducting a study on how visual-spatial intelligence is related to memory of images and fine details
for our Applied Research subject.
This form includes specific details on the research study. Your parent(s)/guardian will be
given a separate form with information on our study. You may choose to discuss this information with
your parent(s)/guardian. You may discuss the information on this form with your parent(s)/guardian
only. After a thorough discussion, you may choose to decide if you wish to participate. Participation in
this research is completely voluntary so even if your parents agree but you do not, we will respect
your final decision.
Should there be any words or terms you do not understand, feel free to ask us so we can help
you understand them. We will willingly take the time to explain.
SOCIAL CONFORMITY 34

Purpose: Why are you doing this research?

We want to see how people with high visual-spatial intelligence are good at remembering
images, faces, and fine details. They are able to visualize objects from different angles. It is currently
believed that people with high visual-spatial intelligence have qualities such as: high awareness of
their surroundings, remembering pieces of information by creating visual pictures, artistic, and good in
solving problems. This is the theory that we would like to test.

Choice of participants: Why are you asking me?

Our research involves St. Paul College, Pasig High School students aged 15-18. This test will
only be given to students who fit these requirements. Tests given to these students focus on their
visual-spatial analysis skills. We are asking for your participation because you fit these requirements.

Participation is voluntary: Do I have to do this?

If you do not wish to be part of the study, you may choose to say "no". In case you say "yes"
now, and change your mind later, we will accept your decision to leave this study. We will be closely
in touch with you during the research process therefore if you have any questions or concerns on the
study, feel free to ask questions anytime.
I have checked with the child and they understand that participation is voluntary _________

Procedures: What is going to happen to me?

We will only be testing your perception and interpretation of certain images. There will be no
harmful, foreign, or suspicious substances or objects involved. However, during the procedure, you
will not be allowed to communicate with other participants or researchers during the test in any form.
This rule will be strictly implemented from the moment you enter the holding room until after you take
your test.
During your lunch time, you will be asked to sit or wait in a waiting room patiently for your
turn. While waiting for your turn, you will be allowed to eat provided that you bring your own food. You
must not make noise while eating and should properly clean up as you go. You may not speak with
other participants during this time. However, you may ask is questions during this time. When your
name is called, you must follow us to the testing room.
When you and a select few fellow participants are present and properly seated, the test will
be administered. After the test, wait patiently for further instructions regarding your exit. You will only
be going through this entire procedure once. Please note that you may only ask questions from us
before and after the test. Asking questions from the researchers or other participants during the test is
strictly prohibited. You are also not allowed to discuss the procedure with fellow participants.
I have checked with the child and they understand the procedures _____________________

Risks: Is this bad or dangerous for me?

There are no physical risks involved in the study. However should you have any concerns,
feel free to contact any of us anytime.

Discomforts: Will it hurt?

During the research, nobody will touch you or force you to intake a substance. Rest assured,
we will strive to bring you comfort and ease during the test. If at any time you feel uncomfortable
before, during, or after the test, please inform us immediately. You will still be given time for the rest of
your break.
I have checked with the child and they understand the risks and discomforts _____________

Benefits: Is there anything good that happens to me?

The main benefit would be the self-diagnosis or self-evaluation the test will give you.
I have checked with the child and they understand the benefits________________________

Reimbursements: Do I get anything for being in the research?

After the completion of the experimental stage, you will be given a snack or a treat as we are
not allowed to give monetary or academic merit reimbursements.

Confidentiality: Is everybody going to know about this?

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 35

We will not publicly reveal your name as a participant in this research. Your input or what you
answer during the test will also not be available to the public. The results will only be revealed to our
teachers and trackmates who will evaluate the research through a colloquium presentation. Your
parents will be given full details in a separate form.

Compensation: What happens if I get hurt?

​In the case that you start to feel sick or uncomfortable anytime during the research,
immediately approach us so that we may look after you, bring you to medical personnel, and inform
your parents.

Sharing the Findings: Will you tell me the results?

​Results from your participation in the study can be made available to you anytime at your
request. General results and conclusions of the study will be published in an academic paper and
presented in a research colloquium. Rest assured that details identifiable to you and your results will
continue to remain confidential.

Right to Refuse or Withdraw: Can I choose not to be in the research? Can I change my mind?
Participation in this research is purely voluntary. If you change your mind, we will respect it.

Who to Contact: Who can I talk to or ask questions to?

​If you have any questions, feel free to contact Lui Medrano through the number
09275332854. While you may only ask her about the research, you may talk about it with strictly your
parent(s)/guardian only.

PART 2: Certificate of Assent

I understand that the research is about perception, understanding, and interpretation of
images and graphics. I understand that I will dedicate a few minutes of my lunch break for the
research procedure.

I have read this information ( or had the information read to me) I have had my questions
answered and know that I can ask questions later if I have them.
I agree to take part in the research.

OR

I do not wish to take part in the research and I have ​not signed the assent
below.___________(initialled by child/minor)

Only if child assents:

Print name of child ___________________
Signature of child: ____________________
Date:________________
day/month/year

I have accurately read or witnessed the accurate reading of the assent form to the potential
participant, and the individual has had the opportunity to ask questions. I confirm that the
individual has given assent freely.

Print name of researcher_________________

Signature of researcher___________________
Date__________________
​Day/month/year

Statement by the researcher/person taking consent

SOCIAL CONFORMITY 36

I have accurately read out the information sheet to the potential participant, and to the best of
my ability made sure that the child understands that the following will be done:
1. She will dedicate a few minutes of her lunch time for the research.
2. She will take a visual spatial test.
I confirm that the child was given an opportunity to ask questions about the study, and all
the questions asked by him/her have been answered correctly and to the best of my ability. I
confirm that the individual has not been coerced into giving consent, and the consent has
been given freely and voluntarily.
​
A copy of this assent form has been provided to the participant.
Print Name of Researcher/person taking the assent________________________
Signature of Researcher /person taking the assent __________________________
Date ___________________________
Day/month/year

Copy provided to the participant ________(initialed by researcher/assistant)

Parent/Guardian has signed an informed consent ___Yes ___No _____(initialed by
researcher/assistant

Appendix 10. Consent Form for Parents

Mikaela Ana Galvez Arianna Garchitorena

Principle Investigator Principle Investigator

Louise Medrano
Anne Beatrice Lagman
Principle Investigator
Principle Investigator

Noted by:
 SOCIAL CONFORMITY 37

This Informed Consent Form has two parts:

• ​Information Sheet (to share information about the study with you)
• ​Certificate of Consent (for signatures if you choose to participate)
You will be given a copy of the full Informed Consent Form

Part I: Information Sheet

Introduction
We are Mikaela Ana Galvez, Arianna Elisha Garchitorena, Anne Beatrice Lagman, and Lui Medrano
of Grade 12 Room 4 under the Humanities and Social Sciences academic track. ​We are conducting a
study on the extent of students to conform.
This form includes specific details on the research study. Your daughter will be given a separate form
with information on our study. You may choose to discuss this information with your daughter. You may
discuss the information on this form with your daughter only. After a thorough discussion, you may choose
to decide if you will allow your daughter to participate. Participation in this research is completely voluntary
so even if your daughter agrees but you do not, we will respect your final decision.
Should there be any words or terms you do not understand, feel free to ask us so we can help you
understand them. We will willingly take the time to explain

Purpose of the Research

We want to see how the students conform to their peer and up to what extent will they be willing to
conform. For it is said that conformity is everywhere so it substantive to know until when will they conform
to others, and based their decisions with the choice of their peer.

Type of Research Intervention

The test will be conducted in the Discussion room of the High School Library of St. Paul College
Pasig. We will make the students answer set of visual spatial test then we will conduct an interview with
the participants, this is where we will be asking situation based questions to further understand their stand
on conformity.

Participant Selection
We want to conduct this experiment to students ages 15-18 because we think that they are mature
enough to handle conformity, we would you like ask your daughter to participate.

Procedures
We will give an orientation to the participants and briefly tell them what will happen during the
experiment and go back to the assent form and review what is written. Then answer and clarify their
questions. In a separate room without the subject they will be informed about what the research is really
about and what they will do.
 SOCIAL CONFORMITY 38

The first part of the experiment is the visual-spatial examination provided on the room itself, the test
will take place at the High School Library of St. Paul College Pasig then after the test we will reveal to your
daughter what is really happening and what we are really looking at during the test. To be followed by the
interview that will discuss the conformity that take place during the test, and ask them more about situation
based questions.

Duration
If you do not wish for your daughter to be part of the study, you may choose to say "no". In case you
say "yes" now, and change your mind later, we will accept yours and your child’s decision to leave the
study.

Risks
We are asking your daughter to share with us some very personal and confidential information, and
she may feel uncomfortable talking about some of the topics. You must know that she does not have to
answer any question or take part in the discussion/interview/survey if she doesn’t wish to do so, and that is
also fine. She does not have to give us any reason for not responding to any question, or for refusing to
take part in the interview.

Benefits
There will be no immediate and direct benefit to your child or to you, but your child's participation is
likely to help us find out more about the health needs of teenage girls and boys and we hope that these will
help people at their age be more knowledgeable about conformity and how to deal with it.

Reimbursements
After the completion of the experimental stage, your child will be given a snack or a treat as we are
not allowed to give monetary or academic merit reimbursements

Confidentiality
We will not publicly reveal your daughter’s name as a participant in this research. Her input or what
she answers during the test will also not be available to the public. The results will only be revealed to
those who have contributed to the research and those who will evaluate the research.

Sharing the Results

We will not publicly reveal the name of your daughter as a participant in this research. The input or
what she answers during the test will also not be available to the public. The results will only be revealed to
our teachers and track mates who will evaluate the research through a colloquium presentation. Your
daughter has been given full details in a separate form.

Right to Refuse or Withdraw

Participation in this research is purely voluntary. If you change your mind, we will respect it.

Who to Contact
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Lui Medrano through the number 09275332854. While
you may only ask her about the research, you may talk about it with strictly your daughter only.

Part II: Certificate of Consent

I understand that the research is about conformity and my daughter will be joining the research
experiment and I understand that she will dedicate a few minutes of her lunch break for the research
procedure.
 SOCIAL CONFORMITY 39

I have read the foregoing information, or it has been read to me. I have had the opportunity to ask
questions about it and any questions I have been asked have been answered to my satisfaction. I
consent voluntarily to be a participant in this study

Print Name of Parent__________________

Signature of Parent ___________________
Date ___________________________
Day/month/year