Loading...
Do experimental manipulations of pathogen avoidance motivations influence conformity?
van Leeuwen,Florian Jaeger,Bastian Sleegers,Willem W A Petersen,Michael Bang
van Leeuwen,Florian
Jaeger,Bastian
Sleegers,Willem W A
Petersen,Michael Bang
Abstract
By conforming to ingroup norms, individuals coordinate with other group members, preserve cohesion, and avoid costs of exclusion. Previous experiments have shown that increased concerns about infectious disease increase conformity. However, coordination with other group members has multiple benefits, most of which exist independent of pathogenic infection. Hence, a strong causal effect of pathogen avoidance motivations on conformity seems unlikely. Results from five experiments ( N = 1,931) showed only limited support for the hypothesis that experimentally increasing pathogen avoidance motivations influences conformity. Overall, our findings are not consistent with the notion that the human mind contains a fast-acting psychological mechanism that regulates conformity as a function of short-term pathogen avoidance motivations.
Description
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article
Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
behavioral immune system, conformity, disgust, norms, pathogen avoidance
Citation
van Leeuwen, F, Jaeger, B, Sleegers, W W A & Petersen, M B 2024, 'Do experimental manipulations of pathogen avoidance motivations influence conformity?', Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 50, no. 7, pp. 1051-1065. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672231160655