Conformity to group norms peaks in preadolescence then declines

Evidence

Costanzo and Shaw (1966) demonstrated that even children of 6 years conformed to group pressure by adopting an incorrect judgment about the length of a line, and that conformity to subjective opinions increased between 6 and 13 years but declined thereafter. … Whereas Allport used conformity and learning almost interchangeably, current researchers would say that the children’s awareness of the need to follow social rules may motivate them quickly to learn such rules, but that the two are distinct: learning is the acquisition of a novel response, whereas conformity is following the assumed rules. — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1999

Categorization

• XREF: The peak-and-decline conformity curve parallels the ingroup-norm pressures central to contact-theory conditions and to growing up research.
• DEFINE: Sharpens the learning-vs-conformity distinction Allport blurred, useful when assessing developmental prejudice claims.