Conforming behavior of psychiatric and medical patients.

Conformity, Deviation, and a General Theory of Interpersonal Behavior.

“…Spohn (1956) reported the disappearance of group control among markedly regressed and withdrawn schizophrenics. In the same way Levine et al (1954) found that hospitalized neurotics tend to converge less towards their group's autokinetic norms. Another facet of evidence supporting the need for maturity and contact with reality was supplied by Gunderson, Grant, and Ballard (1959) who showed that delinquency-prone attitudes (antisocietal deviancy) can be reduced among "high maturity" confinees convicted for naval offenses using a closed-living-group program.…”

Abnormalities of Behavior

“…Levine et al (57) report the use of the autokinetic phenomenon to meas ure the effect of group influence on neurotic judgments. A small sample of neurotics showed greater variability of response and less susceptibility to group influence than nonneurotics.…”