One of the main topics that was displayed in the movie was conformity. Conformity can be described as the act of changing one’s behavior to fit in with a group (Crutchfield, 1955). After the closing arguments of the trial, deliberations by the jurors begin on whether the boy is guilty or not. As the jurors make themselves comfortable in the jury room, casual exchanges are made between the jurors. This is where the first step of conformity takes place. It is seen that juror #2 talks about how exhilarating it is to be on a murder trial to juror #3 who casually informs juror #2 that this isn’t his first time on a jury as well as his opinion about the whole case being a simple ‘open and close’ case. This small exchange sets the basis for a type
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The combining effect of these two incidents, gives off the illusion is that the group is all unanimous in the guilty vote. This symptom of group for group think also facilitate the reason behind the normative influence and informative influence that occurred during the voting, by claiming the group is in unanimous agreement, the jurors now think that if everyone agree then I should agree too because they either know something I don’t or I don’t want to be the only odd one out. By definition, conformity happens when we are placed in ambiguous or confusing situations, crisis situations or when other people are experts. During the first voting all but one of the 12 jurors voted not guilty. By juror #8 not going along with the group, he demonstrates the limits of conformity one of which is the sense of self. Juror #8 showed high self-esteem and leadership that help him to combat the pressure of conformity. After reaching a 11 to 1 vote, the other jurors are quick to criticise juror # 8 but he stands his ground and ask the group to think about the matter a bit more. A second voting takes place but this time by ballots. The results from the ballots show a second not guilty vote. The reason behind the second not guilty vote can be explain by the Ash line study (Ash,
The combining effect of these two incidents, gives off the illusion is that the group is all unanimous in the guilty vote. This symptom of group for group think also facilitate the reason behind the normative influence and informative influence that occurred during the voting, by claiming the group is in unanimous agreement, the jurors now think that if everyone agree then I should agree too because they either know something I don’t or I don’t want to be the only odd one out. By definition, conformity happens when we are placed in ambiguous or confusing situations, crisis situations or when other people are experts. During the first voting all but one of the 12 jurors voted not guilty. By juror #8 not going along with the group, he demonstrates the limits of conformity one of which is the sense of self. Juror #8 showed high self-esteem and leadership that help him to combat the pressure of conformity. After reaching a 11 to 1 vote, the other jurors are quick to criticise juror # 8 but he stands his ground and ask the group to think about the matter a bit more. A second voting takes place but this time by ballots. The results from the ballots show a second not guilty vote. The reason behind the second not guilty vote can be explain by the Ash line study (Ash,