The advantage of active conformity as a communication strategy for compatibility between self assertion and smooth interpersonal relationship

Abstract

When a consensus is seeked but no compromise seems to be obtainable among opposing opinions, people are oftenly forced to choose one of them. This experiment investigated the effects of giving way and agreeing with the group under topics of either a high or low degree of importance. The results were as follows : 1) Those who have given way to others before perceived that their opinions would be accepted more easily in the next time than those who have insisted their own opinions. This tendency was greater under the condition of topics with higher importance. 2) Consequently, those who wish to assert oneselves next time dared to give way and agree to others in the group. 3) Those who have stuck to their own opinions were much more regretful than what those who have given way would guess. From these results, it was suggested that people actively select conformity on a long view. © 1991, The Japanese Psychological Association. All rights reserved.