Compared in this report based on a dissertation are the tendencies of Chinese and Americans to conform to their own cultural norms. Background information is provided through a review of pertinent literature and a discussion of conformity and imitation. Three experiments used in investigating the degree of conformity and imitation in Chinese and American adults and children are described. Results indicate that Chinese adults are more conforming than American adults and that Chinese children are more dependent upon social forces and are more sensitive to environmental influences than American children. Findings are further discussed in terms of cross-cultural comparisons of conformity and helping behavior, effects of a model's competence and status, a cross-cultural comparison of the effects of reinforcement and sex, and the relationship between imitation and conformity. Implications of the study are discussed. Appendices include scripts and questions used in the experiments and raw scores of the experiments for both Americans and Chinese. A list of references is included. (EB)