----- Original Message ----- From: Bourgeois, Dr. Martin To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2009 11:13 AM Subject: RE: [tips] Milgram/Asch/Madoff
Michael, there's a substantial body of literature going back over 40 years that supports the idea that what you call 'affinity' (we tend to call it similarity) increases conformity. Festinger's social comparison theory, published in 1954, considered similarity to be a key variable in predicting social behavior. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I am not sure if the affinity I am talking about is equivalent to the social psychology similarity .From my understanding the latter had more to do with interpersonal attraction and group cohesive factors.I think the social psychology line also included "complementarity" (opposites attract) and "phyicality" as contributive to interpersonal attraction. The bottom line for Madoff's investors could have been pecuniary enhanced by the e-r demand characterics.Madoff,ironically, was a victim of this assumed motivation. Michael Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
