Evaluating the Impact of Informational and Normative Conformity on Decision Making in Online Settings

The present study aims to investigate the impact of two types of pressure to conform on decision making in an online setting. Since there has been an increase in social media usage in the political realm, the present study investigates how viewing comments and likes that are present on various social networking sites can cause a significant change in people’s political opinions. Subjects received both an informational conformity condition and a normative conformity condition as participants served as their own control. For both conditions, subjects gave their initial opinions on five different political issues. In the informational conformity condition, participants viewed persuasive comments on one of the political issues? whereas in the normative conformity condition, participants viewed likes on one of the political issues. Subjects also completed the Satisfaction with Decision Scale (HolmesRovner et. al., 1996) after each condition. Overall, the present study illustrates the profound impact of informational and normative pressure on people’s political opinions and decision satisfaction in online environments.

• Psychology