Can conformity bias be observed in questions whose answers are objectively fixed?

Abstract

We replicated the experiment reported by Eriksson and Coultas (2009) to examine conformity bias. Conformity bias refers to the imitation behavior that most group members adopt with the probability exceeding the ratio of employment by the members in deciding their behavior. Previous studies have examined whether conformity bias can be observed in an information-seeking situation with high uncertainty. Eriksson and Coultas (2009) found no conformity bias using quizzes in which the answers were not objectively fixed as correct or incorrect (e.g., belief, preference, and norm). We replicated their experiment using questions with fixed answers. In this study (N = 120), after participants answered “yes/no” to 14 questions, they were informed of the four patterns of the distribution of the other nine participants’ responses (9, 6, 3, 0 participants said “yes”). Then, participants completed the same questions again. The results showed that conformity bias was observed. We discuss the inconsistency of the results between the previous study and our study.