Effect of Importance of Freedom and Attraction to Group Members on Influence Produced by Group Pressure

An analysis of group influence processes indicates that the functional relationship between attraction to a group and influence exerted by the group depends on the importance to the individual member of any freedom that is threatened by group pressure to conform. This proposition was tested by an experiment in which the effect of group conformity pressure on public and private opinions was measured under two levels of attraction to the group crosscut by two levels of importance of freedom. The results were as predicted. It was found that when the importance of freedom was relatively low, the greater was the attraction to other group members, the greater was the amount of both public and private influence. But when the importance of freedom was relatively high, the greater was the attraction to other group members, the less was the amount of both public and private influence. The condition of high importance of freedom with high attraction to the group produced a boomerang effect on private opinions and a trend toward a boomerang on public opinions. A sleeper effect was found when the group pressure to conform was removed; subjects in the condition of high importance of freedom and high attraction to the group changed positively on a measure of private opinion. It was concluded that the evidence supported a reactance theory analysis of group influence processes. Limiting conditions and other qualifications were discussed.