Authority and Conformity: Violation of a Traffic Regulation

In order to uncover the personal and situational determinants of law violation, rates of prohibited right turns on red lights were observed at 4 intersections in Lubbock, Texas, for 726 male and female drivers. Drivers were either alone, behind a violating model, alone in the presence of a uniformed authority figure standing at the corner, or in the presence of both violating model and a uniformed authority figure. The uniform significantly decreased overall rates of violation. When no law-breaking model was present, the effect was significant; introduction of a violating model cancelled the uniform's effect and the corrupting effect of the model was more powerful in the uniform condition than in the no-uniform condition. Generally, males and drivers under 30 were more likely to turn than females and drivers over 30. Females and older drivers were more hesitant to turn in the presence of a uniformed authority figure than were males and younger drivers, and females were particularly susceptible to the effects of a violating model's defiance of authority.