同調行動研究のこれまでとこれから : 動機に着目する必要性

Conformity has been studied in social and evolutionary psychology for over half a century. These studies have led to the development of a number of theories that explain why conformity occurs. One such study, which has received particular attention in educational and developmental psychology, claims that conformity occurs because of adjustment. This study explains why adolescents conform to their peers more than to adults. However, the results of studies examining the relationship between conformity and adjustment have been inconsistent, and the validity of the theory has not been empirically demonstrated. The relationship between conformity and adjustment has been one of the sources of evidence for clinical interventions for problem behaviors, such as risk-taking, bullying, and sexual deviance in adolescents. Nevertheless, the validity of those interventions is questionable because the theory has not been proven. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to examine and demonstrate the relationship between conformity and adjustment from a new perspective. This process is the first step in providing more valid and accurate clinical support for adjustment. In this paper, we examine in detail what perspectives should be considered in future conformity research.