Doers Conform, Perceivers Counteract:The Effect of Synchrony on Uniqueness Seeking

We showed that engaging in synchronized (vs. non-synchronized) activities increase preference for conformity but seeing the same activities lead to a decreased preference for conformity. Two processes were proposed to explain the findings: 1) interpersonal synchrony threats behavioral freedom and thus leads to reactance; 2) engaging in synchronized behavior increases group coercion and conformity. Two Studies demonstrated that when people engage in synchrony, the second process dominates the first one; greater preference for conformity was shown. Whereas when people only perceive synchronized the behavior, only the first process is present. Thus, seeing such behavior leads to greater preference for uniqueness.

Citation:

Xianchi Dai and Ping Dong (2011) ,"Doers Conform, Perceivers Counteract:The Effect of Synchrony on Uniqueness Seeking", in AP - Asia-Pacific Advances in Consumer Research Volume 9, eds. Zhihong Yi, Jing Jian Xiao, and June Cotte and Linda Price, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 181-182.