Download The Social Impact of Conformity - Society and Culture Association

The Social Impact of Conformity
(Kevin Steed, PhD Candidate Macquarie University School of Education)
WhatIsConformity?
According to Chartrand & Bargh (1999), conformity takes place when people adjust their behaviour or
thinkingtocoincidewitha‘groupstandard.’Specifically,conformitymanifestsitselfasadirectresultofan
individual’swillingnesstoacceptothers’opinionsaboutreality.
The degree to which people conform in any given situation is dependent upon a number of common
factors.Theseusuallyrelatetotheextenttowhich:
1. someoneismadetofeelincompetentorinsecureinagivensocialsetting(egfearofpeerpressure
canfacilitatethis).
2. asocialgroupisunanimousaboutaspecific‘idea’or‘worldview’(egreligiousdoctrine/values).
3. aparticularsocialgroupisperceivedtopossesshighsocialstatusand/orcharismaticpower(eg
celebrityfashiontrends/lifestylesetc).
4. anindividualhasnopriorcommitment/stanceonparticularsocialperspectives(egsocietal
attitudesregardingimmigration/refugees).
5. themainstream/dominantgroupcloselyobservesthebehaviourofnewcomerstothegroup
(adolescentpeergroupsdothisallthetime).
6. one’sculturestronglyencouragesrespectforasocialstandard(egreligiousvalues).
ReasonsforConformity
Peopleconforminasocialcontextforanumberofreasons.
ThemostsignificantreasonwhypeopleconformisadirectresultofwhatisknownasNormative Social
Influence.Thistypeofinfluenceresultsasaconsequenceofanindividual’sinnatedesiretogainapproval
and/oravoidrejectionbythemajority.Moreoftenthatnot,peoplehaveatendencytorespectoradopt
‘normative behaviour’ because if they don’t, there may be significant social costs incurred by those
individualsifcertainmainstreamattitudesorvaluesarenotembraced.
Another reason for conformity is Informative Social Influence. Mainstream society usually seeks to
enculturate its membership at the micro, meso and macro levels to value particular norms, values and
mores.Assuch,mainstreamsocietyprovideswhatitcollectivelyconsiderstobe‘valuable’informationto
the majority of the populous via socializing institutions such as schools, media and government
departments.Despitethis,therewillalwaysbesomepeoplewillneveradopttheinformationprovidedeg;
some individuals, for various reasons, choose not to have their children vaccinated against various
childhooddiseasestherebyreducingthe‘herdimmunity’levelsinoursociety.
Mindlessconformityisanotherreasonfortheadoptionofmainstreamvalues,attitudesandperceptions.
Therewillalwaysbesomeindividualsinsocietywhowillautomaticallyadoptthebehaviouralcuesof
othersinthecommunitywithouteverthinkingtoodeeplyaboutwhytheydoso.Rightlyorwrongly,
contemporaryadolescentsareoftenaccusedofbehavinginsuchamannerwhentheyengagewithsocial
media,hairstylesandfashionetc.
FurtherResearch:
http://www2.psych.ubc.ca/~schaller/Psyc591Readings/CialdiniGoldstein2004.pdf
1
Conformity-OnlineActivities
WatchthefollowingTEDtalksand/orYoutubeclipsonconformity.
1. Conformity–DeadPoetsSocietyMovie(youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnAyr0kWRGE
Watchtheclipandanswerthefollowingquestions:
a) Howis‘conformity’explainedinthisclip?
b) Whatistheessentialmessageabout‘conformity’thatemergesfromthisclipmovie?
2. ‘Looksaren’teverything.Believeme,I’mamodelCameronRussell’(Tedtalk)
https://www.ted.com/talks/cameron_russell_looks_aren_t_everything_believe_me_i_m_a_model?language=en
Watchtheclipandanswerthefollowingquestions
a) Whyisimagesuchapowerfulforceforconformity?
b) WhatdoesCameronmeanbysuggestingthatshe“wonageneticlottery’?Intermsof
conformity,whyisthisproblematicforwomeninoursociety?
c) Outlinethestereotypicalimagesofbeautytowhichmanyyoungwomenconform.
3. ‘Asch’sConformityExperiment’(youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyDDyT1lDhA
Watchtheclipandanswerthefollowingquestions:
a) Explainthepremiseofthisclassicexperimentintoconformity.
b) Whatdoesthisexperimenttellusaboutthepsychologyofconformity?Isthisagoodthing?
Why?
2