If you want to understand the Mitt Romney situation, let's explore a CLASSIC social psychology experiment together.
Do you remember the Asch Conformity Study? In this study, an experimenter asks subjects to MATCH a line to a line of the SAME LENGTH.
Do you remember the Asch Conformity Study? In this study, an experimenter asks subjects to MATCH a line to a line of the SAME LENGTH.
But here's where things get funny. Every subject but one is IN ON THE EXPERIMENT. The group INTENTIONALLY gives WRONG answers choosing lines that DON'T match. What do you think the REAL subject does? Yes. He goes along with the group. Even though he KNOWS it's wrong, he CONFORMS.
This experiment has been replicated THOUSANDS of times, and subjects will GO ALONG WITH THE GROUP 2/3rds of the time.
Conformity is a POWERFUL force and is a big reason why so many Republicans are complicit. They see what is happening but must fit in.
Conformity is a POWERFUL force and is a big reason why so many Republicans are complicit. They see what is happening but must fit in.
This is also why Romney's vote yesterday was SO courageous. He has a President, an entire political party structure and a country full of GOP voters INFLUENCING him to conform and he STILL made the right call by using his analytic mind, his integrity and his conscience.
In these experiments when just ONE confederate punctures the group consensus, others soon follow. In the Senate, FEAR of real consequences pushed even the moderate Republicans to fall in line (though it violated their oath). I predict Trump is now more emboldened to break the law
