Social psychology is a scientific-based study which is used to examine and explain how an individual’s thoughts and feelings affect their behaviour within a society; how the members socially interact, including their motives; and what influences these members have on each other. This essay will endeavour to introduce the key psychologists, their theories and the idiographic research they conducted. In particular, it will focus on the features and definition of conformity and the investigations into the views on conformity. Furthermore, it aims to critically analyse and reveal a correlation in the results and conclusions in respect to the current comprehension of human social behaviour. Conformity is a form of social influence and is otherwise known as the majority influence, since people conform to the norm(s) of their particular group. Social norms are belief systems which provide an effective, manageable and predictable life, creating a sense of order for people to live by. These norms vary within each social group, for example: family, friends, tribes or nations and are ingrained through most lifestyle choices, such as fashion for example. The common goals of the norms help guide behaviour and through social cognition people interpret what behaviour and response each situation requires. Culture, settings and social roles can affect levels of conformity. In collectivist societies, like those found in China and Russia, compliance to the cultural values and traditional norms are more apparent than in individualist societies found in Europe and America. Although, in China and Russia, there are usually more severe consequences and serious punishments involved for anyone who shows any defamation of the values or disloyalty. ... ... middle of paper ... ...n have on a negative effect on a person’s health, often resulting in depression. The research has improved human’s understanding and interpretation of behaviour. Although these studies have uncovered many general flaws with a personality, the mere fact that these traits have been exposed makes way for further investigation, psychological studies and improvements. Works Cited Psychology. The Science of Mind and Behaviour. 3rd Ed. Gross, R. 1996, Bookpoint LTD. Psychology AS – The Complete Companion, Cardwell, M. & Flanagan, C. 2005. Nelson Thornes Limited. Social Psychology – Edited by Giles, B. 2002. The Brown Reference Group PLC. http://12most.com/2012/12/14/revealing-studies-of-human-behavior-2/ http://psychology.about.com/od/classicpsychologystudies/p/conformity.htm http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2011/09/21/who-discovered-the-earth-is-ro/
The World of Psychology. (2002). A Pearson Education Company. Boston, MA: Samuel Wood & Ellen Green Wood p. 593
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“Social conformity has been practiced in societies around the world since ancient times,” and the reason it is so effective is that humans have an inherent need to be accepted as part of a group (Sadat). Furthermore, Hossna Sadat reports that:
The presence of others seems to set expectations to behave in certain ways in certain situations, even if they do not want to. Social conformity is a “type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure” (McLeod, S. (2007). People will tend to agree openly but privately be thinking and knowing it is wrong. People feel they need to socially conform to have a sense of belonging or connectedness, fit in, have a positive social identity, or to simply adapt to their situation and surroundings at the time. I feel it is rare to find those who exude confidence (not to be confused with arrogance), that are comfortable in their own skin, and speak their mind with the facts/truth and break the norms. It might be hard at first to take this approach, but in my experience, those individuals are also the ones that are highly respected. On the other hand, those who go against what society claims is right or wrong may be seen as deviants. Deviance is any behavior, belief, or condition that violates significant social norms in the society or group in which it occurs (Kendall, 2012-01-01, p. 180). Examples are tattoos, Goth, not leaving a tip for the waiter/waitress, pink hair, not believing in God or simply walking down the wrong side of the hallway.
My choice of research was in the play behaviors of children as well as aggression. Breaking the topic down more, behavior relates to the psychology and the psyche of each individual. The definition of psychology is “science of mind and behavior” (Clavijo, 2013). After reading the article by Clavijo, I have realized that psychology can be defined in three ways such as the study of the mind, the study of behavior, and the study of the mind and behavior. In the text “The Developing Person” by Berger, behavior is learned through social learning. Children learn different behaviors through the observation of others, others being children and adults. Different people have affects on a child’s life that can affect their behavior. A child’s behavior is heavily influenced by their parents. A son may speak aggressively and without respect towards his mother because this is the way that his father speaks to her therefore he feels that is how to communicate with his mother (Berger, 200, 2012). Moving into play behaviors, children learn from other children in how to play. Most believe cognitive growth relies on child’s play time. Vygotsky and Piaget both believe that when children play it is beneficial, but according to Vygotsky, playing enables a child to think outside the box and create their own meaning from objects, using their imagination. Piaget believes that child benefit from playing together because children and sharing their knowledge and making it more concrete ideas and thoughts. There are four stages of plays, with the fourth stage being the highest most complicated play which consists of rules and guidelines for the game. The lowest level or play would be functional play being infants shaking rattles, clapping their hands, or blow...
Conformity is shaped in a number of ways for a number of reasons. Utopian and dystopian societies, both display structures that promote different types of conformity. Within the community individuals and government is influenced. Establishing norms and laws lays out for the citizens what is expected of them. A society’s make-up consisting of the individuals and government is both positively and negatively affected by the formation of conformity.
Human beings are defined as ''social animals'' because in every aspects of life they live together, they form a variety of groups and improve relationships with each other. Interaction with others is a natural result of living in society. In the process of interaction, society and its rules has a social impact on each individual. If people face with any kind of social impact such as group pressure, great part of them show conformity by changing their behaviors, ideas, decisions in expected way. A person conforms if he or she chooses a course of action that a majority favors or that is socially acceptable. Some kind of conformity is natural and socially healthy but obeying all the norms, ideas, and decisions without thinking or accepting is harmful for the society and its democratic norms....
These three åinfluences are very important to fully understand and grasp. Conformity has always been an interest of mine because it fascinates me why and how people conform to society and other figures. The literal definition of conformity is the change in one 's behavior to match a behavior modeled by another. There was a study done by Asch which modeled social influence this line study was done to see if the non confederate would model the behavior of the confederates. It turns out that this study did prove conformity about 75% of the participants conformed (Aronson, 2016). Some major contributions to conformity are; group size, status, and social validation. They are essential because as we saw in the elevator clip in class people have a highest tendency of conforming to a group size of 5 or more. People also conform to status, for example, people are more likely to listen to a man in a suit and tie, than a homeless man. This is all based on physical appearance. Which leads us to social validation, people often use other people 's actions/reactions to determine if theirs is correct and matches the model. This is often used in the business world because modeling is the most efficient way of reaching their customers. Equally important, obedience is the change in person 's expected behavior to an authority figure (Aronson, 2016). Milgram’s study supports and reflects this form of social influence. Furthermore, Milgram’s study brought interesting data in reference to obedience about 65 percent of participants carried out the orders of shock of the confederate. These results are shocking and expected, this is yet another study showing the evidence of social influence and authority figures have on an individual (Aronson, 2016). Authority being the third and final category of social influence is probably one of the most underestimated contributors of social influence. In particular,
Conformity involves the changing of one’s attitudes, opinions, or behaviours to match those of the ‘norms’. The “norms”, established by society, are what we should or ought to be thinking, feeling, or doing if we wish to be accepted into a group. This desire to be accepted and belong to a group is an undeniable human need.
Conformity, compliance and obedience are behavioural consequences of social influence (real or imagined social pressure) that occur in the presence of a group or other individuals (Elsenbroich & Xenitidou, 2012). Often these concepts are misinterpreted as being the same or even synonymous and while they do have similarities they are also very dissimilar. In social psychology conformity, compliance and obedience are distinct concepts that coincide due to their effect on behaviour in the presence of others. Pascual, Line Felonneau, Guéguen & Lafaille (2013) define conformity as an altering of behaviour and beliefs in an individual in order to reflect the behaviour and beliefs of the group that holds influence, though Myers (2014) emphasises that
Elliot Aronson (2012) provides a definition of conformity, two social psychological processes that underlie a conformity and cited examples of reasons why people conform in the book, The Social Animal. Aronson (2012) defines a conformity as “a change in a person’s behavior or opinion as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people” (p.19). In accordance with Aronson’s (2012) definition of conformity, people do conform owing to the social influence, which are two main social psychological processes: belonging and getting information.
Schultz, Duane P., and Sydney Ellen. Schultz. A History of Modern Psychology. 9th ed. Australia: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. Print.
There are many social influences which have an effect or lasting effect on the behavior of an individual. Within many group scenarios, conformity and obedience play a large role in how people tend to think and behave, especially if they get carried away. Obedience refers to compliance to an authority figure or with others in a group. On the other hand, conformity refers to an individual changing their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors to accommodate with the standards of a group or their peers. Both of which are pure examples of how human behavior changes based on certain social situations. Obedience and conformity both occur during situations of social facilitation, social loafing, and groupthink.
There are two reason can explain why people conform .First one is normative social influence and information social influence . Normative social influence is one kind of type for social influence leading conformity ,people think that oth...
O’Connell, D. C., & Kowal, S. (2009). The evolution of modern psychology: A critical, forward-looking perspective on some pioneers. Journal of Psychology, 217, 73-78. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com