Self-Monitoring and Conformity: A Comparison of Self-Report and Behavioral Measures

Abstract

This study investigated the role of self-monitoring in relation to self-reported and behavioral conformity. Ninety-three female undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory to psychology course were administered a questionnaire packet consisting of the Lennox and Wolfe Revised Self-Monitoring Scale (RSMS), a self-reported measure of conformity, and a series of vignettes, both designed by the authors. A tertiary split was performed to yield groups of high and low selfmonitors, resulting in 31 participants for a behavioral measure of conformity. For the behavioral measure, which took place approximately six weeks after the initial questionnaire, each participant and three confederates were given six decision-making vignettes, three of which were included in the initial questionnaire. The confederates answered uniformly on the previously seen vignettes, opposite of what the participant had originally answered. Confederates split their answers on the “new” vignettes in order to disguise the purpose of the study. The behavioral conformity score was determined by the number of times the participant answered uniformly with the confederates despite their original answers. Findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between self-monitoring and behavioral conformity. No significant relationship exists between selfmonitoring and self-reported conformity. Additional studies should be conducted using larger, gender balanced, and more ethnically diverse samples.