« Effet PIP » et conflit de normes

Abstract

Summary The « PIP effect » (also named « superior-conformity of self » phenomenon) is the phenomenon, now demonstrated in numerous experiments, by which an individual tends in generai, in a social comparison process, to present himself as « more in the norms » of the situation than his peers. But how does the PIP effect work in situations which are characterized by a conflict between norms ? Such situations are frequent in social life and numerous factors can give rise to such conflicts. This paper reports two experiments in which we try to answer this question. Results show that the consideration by Ss of contradictory social norms is an operation which is cognitively very difficult, perhaps impossible. Il seems that at any moment one can only refer to a single consistant System of norms. Consequently, at a given moment, Ss can only adopt one single Superior conformity of self behavior. But when the norms are changing, the way in which everyone compares himself to others changes also, and the direction of the PIP effect is reversed.