Through practical research and testing, the following was revealed:
In the sphere of cognitive functions, conformists show less developed intelligence than independents; They are characterized by inflexibility of thought processes and poverty of ideas.
In the sphere of motivation and emotional functions, conformists show less strength of character, less ability to control themselves under stressful conditions; They are characterized by great emotional stiffness, suppressed impulses, and a tendency to worry.
In the sphere of self-awareness, conformists tend to clearly expressed feelings personal inferiority and failure. They lack self-confidence. Their self-image is more superficial and less realistic than that of independent people.
In the sphere of interpersonal relationships, conformists are characterized by increased concern about other people's opinions of them. In their relationships with people, they show great passivity, suggestibility, and dependence on others. At the same time, their relationships with other people are characterized by distrust and wariness, and the ability to correctly judge another person is lower than that of an independent subject.
The personal attitudes and values of a conformist are characterized by greater routineness, a tendency towards moralization, and intolerance towards everything that seems to him to be a “deviation from the norm.”
Thus, a high degree of conformism turns out to be associated with general dogmatism, authoritarianism, and stereotypical thinking.
However, neither dogmatism of thinking nor a tendency to conformism are innate personality traits. They are formed in the process of education and social communication.
The degree of expression of conformity varies in different cultures. In American and European culture Individualism is encouraged: “You are responsible for yourself. Follow your own desires." IN Asian culture collectivism is encouraged: “Your family is responsible for all its members.
Conformism and its role in team management
The strength and influence of the team is largely given by the conformity (from the Latin similar, similar) of its members, i.e. their unconditional acceptance of the existing order of things, dominant in a group of opinions, adaptation to them based on the refusal of independent thoughts and actions.
As a result, a group unanimity is formed, based on the suppression by an individual of his actual views on any phenomenon and the support of a common opinion so as not to disturb the harmony of the group. Since no one expresses different opinions from others or offers a different, opposing point of view, everyone assumes that everyone thinks the same.
Conformism is based on the fear of ruining relations with the team, being rejected by it, being excluded from it - ostracism, which in ancient times, for example, led to inevitable death.
The degree of conformity depends on the certainty and complexity of the problem being solved, the person’s position in the group, and the meaning of the group for him. Thus, individuals with high status are subject to less pressure, and the more attractive the group is for a person, the closer to him common goals, the more he obeys her.
From the point of view of the interests of the team as a whole, conformism has a lot of positive aspects: ensures survival in critical moments, facilitates the organization of joint activities of people, eliminates the need to think about how to behave, making behavior standard in ordinary situations and predictable in non-standard ones, facilitates the integration of the individual in the team.
The positive features of conformity include:
formation of unity in crisis situations allowing the organization to survive in difficult conditions;
simplifying the organization of joint activities due to the lack of thinking about behavior in standard circumstances and receiving instructions on behavior in non-standard circumstances;
the time for a person to adapt to a team decreases;
social group acquires a single entity.
At the same time, the phenomenon of conformism is accompanied by negative traits. Among them are the following:
a person’s unquestioning adherence to the norms and rules of the majority leads to a loss of the ability to make independent decisions and navigate independently in new and unusual conditions;
Conformism often serves as the moral and psychological foundation of totalitarian sects and totalitarian states;
conformity creates the conditions and prerequisites for mass murder and genocide, since individual participants in such actions are often unable to question their expediency or compliance with universal moral principles;
Conformity often turns into a breeding ground for all kinds of prejudices and prejudices against minorities;
Conformism significantly reduces a person’s ability to make a significant contribution to culture or science because it kills his ability to think originally and creatively.
The degree of conformity of the individual depends on a number of circumstances:
character interpersonal relationships(friendly or conflicting);
the need and ability to make independent decisions;
the size of the team (the more numerous it is, the stronger the conformity);
the presence of a cohesive group that influences other members of the team;
the current situation or problem being solved (complex issues can be resolved collectively);
status of a person in a group (the higher the status, the less manifestation of conformity).
REASONS FOR CONFORMAL BEHAVIOR
A social conformist is a person, a member of society, who, contrary to his views, thoughts, knowledge, under the influence of the opinion of the majority of group members, accepts this opinion as truly true and agrees to accept it.
In other words, a conformist is a person who is accustomed to obeying everyone unquestioningly. He has neither his own opinion, nor his own beliefs, nor his own “I”. If he has a friend, then he obeys him in everything. If he is in a group of people, then he obeys its demands in everything. A conformist is a type of social opportunist.
Conformity plays a special role in the activities of organization members, since the ability of people to accept established procedures affects their ability to fit into a team and the speed of getting involved in work. It should be noted that the basis of conformism is group unanimity, which involves the suppression of a person’s individuality and his own views in order to support the general opinion.
MAIN TYPES OF CONFORMISTS
Based on the results of studies conducted by numerous sociologists, we can come to the conclusion that more than 30% of society members are prone to display various types of conformism. However, this phenomenon is not the same for everyone and depends on various factors. One of the most basic factors influencing the level of manifested conformity in an individual is the nature of his personality, the tendency to change his opinion under the influence (pressure) of the opinion of the majority.
The first group of social conformists were situational conformists. Representatives of this group differ from other members of society by demonstrating the highest dependence on the group in specific situations. These people almost always, throughout their lives, follow the opinion of the majority. They completely lack their own opinion about the world around them. It is very easy to lead such people, to subordinate them to your will, even if it comes into direct, acute conflict with his own. From the point of view of the development of society, these people represent its most dangerous contingent, because with their adaptability they very often contribute to the advancement of extremely negative phenomena - genocide, tyranny, infringement of rights, etc.
The second group is represented by internal conformists, that is, people who, in the event of a conflict between their opinion and the opinion of the majority, take its side and internally assimilate this opinion, that is, become one of the members of the majority. Here it should be said that this type of conformism is the result of overcoming conflict with the group in favor of the group. Such people, as well as representatives of the first group, are extremely dangerous for society, which, in the presence of a large number of such representatives, degrades, turns into a community of slaves, ready to weak-willedly follow all instructions and orders, without hesitating to obey the opinions of strong people. Representatives of these two types of conformists are a godsend for a human leader who, in a short time, will be able to subordinate them to his will once and for all.
The third group of social conformists are external conformists who accept the opinion of the majority only outwardly, but in reality they continue to resist it. Such people really have their own opinion, but due to their weakness and cowardice they are unable to defend it in the group. They are able to outwardly agree with what they consider to be an incorrect opinion in order to prevent conflict situation. Such people declare that they agreed with the wrong opinion so as not to oppose themselves to the majority, not to be an outcast.
The fourth type of conformists are negativists (inside out conformists). In studies of conformity, another possible position was discovered, which turned out to be accessible to fix at the experimental level. This is the position of negativism. When a group puts pressure on an individual, and he resists this pressure in every way, demonstrating at first glance an extremely independent position, at all costs denying all the standards of the group, then this is a case of negativism. Only at first glance, negativism looks like an extreme form of denial of conformity. In fact, as has been shown in many studies, negativism is not true independence. On the contrary, we can say that this is a specific case of conformity, so to speak, “conformity inside out”: if an individual sets his goal at any cost to resist the opinion of the group, then he actually again depends on the group, because he has to actively produce anti-group behavior, an anti-group position or the norm, i.e. to be attached to group opinion, but only with the opposite sign (numerous examples of negativism are demonstrated, for example, by the behavior of adolescents). Such people are extremely dangerous for society, because in any case they do not recognize social values and openly come into conflict with society even when they understand that their position is not correct.
Question
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According to philosophers, a person living in society is dependent on the opinion of the public. Throughout his life, a person enters into various relationships with the people around him. Each person to some extent influences his environment and is affected by others. Often the behavioral model and perception of the surrounding world are built precisely under the influence of society. This behavioral model is characterized as a tendency to conformism. In this article we will analyze what conformism is and the definition of this term in various sciences.
Conformity is a person’s tendency to change his initial assessments under the influence of the opinions of others
Conformism is an adaptation or passive agreement with the opinion of the overwhelming majority of people who make up the social group in which a person is located. This concept should be understood as the unquestioning fulfillment of the requirements that society places on the individual. Such demands can be expressed either by the public or by a recognized authority. In addition, the traditions of a particular ethnic group play an important role. Also, the term conformism often hides a lack of personal opinion regarding any issues. The meaning of the word conformism is similar and conformable.
The phenomenon of conformity has been studied for a long time. Back in the thirties of the last century, the Turkish scientist Muzafer Sherif conducted an interesting experiment. During the experiment, subjects were left in dark room, where over a certain period of time appeared light signals. These signals moved in a chaotic manner and then disappeared. After the experiment, the subjects were asked a question regarding the distance of the light source displacement after the first appearance. The subjects were required to answer this question independently.
At the second stage of the experiment, there were already several people in the dark room. Their task was to provide a consistent answer to the same question. According to the data of this experiment, the majority of subjects changed their initial opinion regarding the average norm for the group. Quite interesting is the fact that people who underwent the group experiment subsequently stuck to the agreed answer. Thus, Muzafer Sherif proved that people have a tendency to agree with the judgments of others. It was the Sheriff who first expressed the opinion that many people are ready to sacrifice their own beliefs in order to “not stand out from the crowd.”
Considering the various manifestations of this phenomenon, it should be said that the term “conformism” was first used by the American psychologist Solomon Asch. In the fifties of the twentieth century, these scientists conducted experiments in which dummy people and only one subject took part. The essence of the experiment was to study the perception of the duration of segments. The subjects were given three segments, from which they had to choose one that matched the sample. At the stage of taking the test independently, the majority of subjects always came to the correct conclusion.
The assimilation of norms and rules of behavior is also a manifestation of conformity However, during a group experiment, dummy people deliberately gave a false answer. Since the person undergoing the experiment did not know that the rest of the group members were fake, under pressure from the majority he agreed to change his point of view. According to the researcher, approximately forty percent of people who passed such a test agreed with the opinion of the majority, which is a manifestation of conformism.
How conformism arises
According to experts in the field of psychology, the development of conformity is facilitated by the combined influence various factors. The strength of the manifestation of this phenomenon increases under the pressure of circumstances that require a person to make a decision in matters in which he is incompetent. Important has the size of the group, since a person is inclined to adhere to the point of view that was simultaneously voiced by several people.
People with low self-esteem are especially susceptible to conformity, since their behavior model does not imply defending their own opinion.
If within a specific group of people there are experts who understand the issue at hand, then the level of conformity increases significantly. Experts also note the importance of team cohesion. In their opinion, the level of cohesion has a direct connection with the leader’s level of power over the rest of the group.
It should be noted that the presence of an ally who takes the side of a person who expresses doubt in the opinion of the public automatically reduces the level of pressure from society on the person. Special role In this matter, the social status and authority of the person occupying a leadership position plays a role. Having a high status allows a person to easily influence the people around him.
IN social psychology the term is usually used to refer to the malleability of an individual's personality to real or perceived group pressure Features of the behavior model
According to the specialist, abandoning one’s own beliefs and agreeing with the point of view of the majority is an integral part of the process of integration into the group. The presence of conformity in a personal model of behavior is revealed by a peculiar expression of submission and acceptance of standards accepted as the norm in society. Group pressure exerted on an individual can cause both agreement with the opinion of the majority and obvious resistance to the pressure exerted. According to experts, there are four main models of behavior in society:
- External agreement– with this model of behavior, a person agrees with the opinion of the majority only externally. However, the individual’s subconscious itself tells him that people are mistaken, but such thoughts are not spoken out loud. According to psychologists, such a model of behavior is a manifestation of true conformism and is characteristic of people trying to find their own place in society.
- Internal agreement- manifests itself in the case when an individual agrees with the opinion of the public and internally accepts it. This model of behavior indicates a high degree of personal suggestibility. This behavior pattern is a type of adaptation in changing conditions.
- Negation– this model of behavior is better known as negativism and manifests itself in the form of resistance to the opinion of the majority. This model of behavior involves defending your own point of view to prove your own independence. Many people who adhere to this model prefer to occupy leadership positions in order to impose their point of view on others. This model suggests that a person does not want to lead an opportunistic lifestyle, and wants to become the head of the pyramid.
- Nonconformism- a synonym for negativism, in which a person shows resistance to public pressure. This model of behavior is typical for self-sufficient individuals whose point of view does not change under the pressure of the majority. The main difference between nonconformism and negativism is that people who adhere to the first model of behavior do not impose their point of view on other members of society.
According to experts, there are the following types of conformism: psychological, political science, social and philosophical.
The concept of conformism in psychology and sociology
Conformity in psychology is a model of personal behavior that determines the degree of compliance to pressure exerted by a group of people.
Under imaginary or real pressure, an individual abandons his point of view and agrees with the point of view of the majority, even in the case where such attitudes were not previously shared. In addition, this term is used to denote the unconditional agreement of an individual with the opinion of the public. In this situation, the level of consistency between the opinions of others and one’s own ideas of the world does not matter. Often a person who shows conformism internally resists the imposed moral and ethical rules and norms. They talk about external conformism when a person, agreeing with the imposed opinion of the majority, internally remains with his convictions
In sociology, the phenomenon under consideration manifests itself in the form of passive acceptance of the social foundation that dominates in society. It is important to be able to distinguish conformity from the same opinions and views on the social order of society. Most often, many judgments about the social order are formed in the process of personal formation. A person can change his view of the world only if he has convincing arguments.
The term “conformity” is used in sociology to describe the process of changing one’s own beliefs under the influence of the majority.
Such changes in one’s own worldview are explained by the fear of various sanctions and the fear of becoming lonely. According to studies, approximately every third person agrees to accept the majority opinion in order not to stand out from the group.
How does the social form of conformism manifest itself? Social conformity is an uncritical change in one's own perception of the world in order to conform to the norms established by society. Such a model of behavior does not imply resistance to mass standardization, despite the fact that the individual may not internally accept such attitudes. The vast majority of people calmly perceive economic and socio-political changes, without trying to express their own dissatisfaction with the current situation. According to experts,
social form
The phenomenon of conformism has certain pros and cons. Among the advantages of this model of behavior, it is worth noting the small amount of time required to adapt to new conditions. In addition, conformity simplifies the organization of joint activities of a group of people. Such a team shows strong cohesion under the influence stressful situations, which helps to find a solution to the problem within a short period of time.
Internal conformism is a real change in internal views and behavior as a result of accepting the position of the majority of group members It is important to mention that the phenomenon of conformity has certain disadvantages:
- Loss of the ability to independently make various decisions.
- High risk of developing sectarian groups, as well as carrying out massacres and genocide.
- The emergence of prejudice against various minorities.
- A significant decrease in the opportunity to develop in the creative field, which is reflected in the contribution to cultural and scientific life society.
Conclusion
A person belonging to certain social groups is forced to comply with the rules and norms that have developed in it. Standardized behavior and conformity have a close relationship, which is confirmed by various life examples . The examples of conformity from life given below have both positive and negative refusal, since societal pressure to accept important decisions
can have catastrophic consequences.
One example of the negative impact of the phenomenon of conformity on society is the situation when the vast majority of people are forced to carry out the order of their leader. Often such orders are given to achieve dubious goals, but the person cannot express his own point of view for fear of disobedience. An example of such a situation is the punitive detachments of the Nazis, who during the Second World War killed many innocent people.
A positive historical example of conformism is the revolution of nineteen eighty-six in the Philippines. The residents of this state carried out a coup in their country, removing Ferdinando Marcos, who was known as a tyrant, from his ruling position. The phenomenon of conformity also occurs in each person. The creation of a social unit is one of the most striking examples of conformism in people's lives. Starting a family means giving up your own point of view in order to reach a compromise. Otherwise, lack of mutual understanding can lead to discord in people's lives, which will end in divorce.
Even in ancient times, philosophers agreed that a person cannot live in society and not be dependent on it. Throughout his life, an individual has direct or indirect connections with other people, acting on them or being subject to social influences. Often a person changes behavior or opinion under the influence of society, agreeing with someone else's point of view. This behavior is due to the ability to conform.
The phenomenon of conformism
The term conformism comes from the Latin word conformis (similar, conformable); it is a moral and political concept denoting opportunism, passive agreement with the existing order of things, prevailing opinions, etc. It includes the absence of one’s own position, unconditional adherence to any model that has the greatest pressure (traditions, recognized authority, majority opinion, etc.).
The phenomenon of conformity was first described by the American psychologist S. Asch in 1951. Modern research make it the object of study of 3 sciences: personality psychology, social psychology and sociology, therefore it is advisable to separate conformism as social phenomenon, And conformist behavior, How psychological feature person.
In psychology, personality conformity is understood as its compliance with real or imagined group pressure, while the person changes behavior and personal settings in accordance with the position of the majority, which he had not previously shared. A person refuses his own opinion and unconditionally agrees with the position of others, regardless of how much it corresponds to his own ideas and feelings, accepted norms, moral and ethical rules and logic.
There is also social conformism, which is understood as uncritical perception and adherence to prevailing opinions, mass standards and stereotypes, traditions, authoritative principles and guidelines. A person does not resist prevailing trends, despite their internal rejection, perceives any aspects of socio-political and economic reality without criticism, and does not want to express his own opinion. With conformism, the individual refuses to bear personal responsibility for his actions, blindly submits and follows the requirements and instructions emanating from society, the state, party, religious organization, leader, family, etc. Such submission may be due to mentality or traditions.
Social conformism includes all forms of collectivist consciousness that imply the subordination of individual behavior to social norms and demands of the majority.
Conformism in the group
Conformity in a group manifests itself in the form of social influence on a person, while the individual must follow group norms and rules and submit to the interests of the group. It, through the norms of behavior it introduces, forces everyone to follow them in order to maintain the integration of all its members.
A person can resist this pressure, this phenomenon is called nonconformism, but if he gives in, submits to the group, he becomes a conformist. In this case, even realizing that his actions are wrong, he will carry them out as the group does.
It is definitely impossible to say which type of relationship between a person and a group is correct and which is not. Without social conformity, a cohesive team cannot be created. When an individual takes a strict nonconformist position, he cannot become a full member of the group and will eventually be forced to leave it.
Conditions for the emergence of conformal behavior
It was found that the characteristics of the group and individual characteristics people influence the development of individual conformity in relation to the requirements of the group. The following conditions contribute to the occurrence of this phenomenon:
- Low self-esteem of the individual;
- A feeling of personal incompetence of a person who is faced with solving a difficult task;
- Group cohesion - if at least one of its members has an opinion different from the general one, the effect of pressure is reduced, and it becomes easier for a person to object and disagree;
- Large group size – maximum influence can be seen in a group of 5 people; a further increase in the number of its members does not lead to an increase in the effect of conformity;
- High status and authority of the group, the presence of experts or significant people in its composition;
- Publicity - people show more high level conforming behavior if they need to openly express their opinions to others.
In addition, the behavior of an individual depends on the relationships, likes and dislikes between group members: the better they are, the higher the degree of conformity. It has also been established that the tendency to conformity depends on age (decreases with age) and gender (women are slightly more susceptible to it than men).
Pros and cons of conformity
Among the positive features of personality conformity are:
- Increasing cohesion in crisis situations, which helps the team cope with them;
- Simplifying the organization of joint activities;
- Reducing the adaptation time of a person in a team.
But the phenomenon of conformity is also accompanied by negative features, including:
- Loss of the ability to make decisions independently and navigate in unusual conditions;
- Creating conditions and prerequisites for the development of totalitarian sects and states, carrying out mass murders and genocides;
- Development of various prejudices and prejudices against minorities;
- A decrease in the individual's ability to make a significant contribution to culture or science, as conformity eradicates original and creative thought.
In group interaction, the phenomenon of conformity plays an important role, as it is one of the mechanisms for making a group decision. At the same time, each social group has a certain degree of tolerance regarding the behavior of its members, while each of them can allow themselves a certain degree of deviation from accepted norms without undermining their position as a member of the group and without damaging the sense of common unity.
(from Late Latin conformis - similar, similar, conformable; English conformism; German Konformizm)
Conformity; Conformal behavior; The phenomenon of group pressure
1. Moral-political and moral-psychological concept, denoting opportunism, passive acceptance of the existing social order, political regime etc., as well as the willingness to agree with prevailing opinions and views, general sentiments widespread in society.
2. Uncritical (acceptance and) adherence to prevailing opinions and standards, stereotypes mass consciousness, traditions, authorities, principles, etc.
3. Uncritical acceptance of public opinion and following it, submission to stereotypes of mass consciousness, instructions of authorities and leaders.
4. Lack of one’s own position, unprincipled and uncritical adherence to any model that has the greatest pressure (majority opinion, recognized authority, tradition, etc.).
5. Passive acceptance of the existing order, prevailing opinion, etc.
6. Passive agreement with generally accepted norms.
7. Behavior controlled through group pressure.
8. Conformist behavior.
9. Compliance of the individual to real or imagined group pressure.
10. The adoption by an individual of a certain opinion “under pressure”, under pressure from society or a group.
11. Acceptance of the existing order of things, generally accepted norms or demands of power despite their improper nature.
12. Adaptability, thoughtless adherence to general opinions and fashion trends.
13. Adaptability, uncritical acceptance of the existing order of things, norms, values, habits, opinions, etc., lack of one’s own position.
14. Accommodation, passive perception of the existing order of things, prevailing opinions, bordering on servility.
15. Adaptation, passive acceptance of the existing order, prevailing opinions, lack of one’s own position, unprincipled and uncritical adherence to any model that has the greatest pressure.
16. Accommodation, passive acceptance of the existing social order, prevailing opinions, etc.
17. Agreement.
18. Socio-psychological orientation that does not develop as a result independent decisions(or full participation in solving) social and moral problems, but passive, adaptive acceptance of the ready-made order of things.
19. The tendency of an individual to change his beliefs, values and actions under the influence of the group in which the person is included.
20. Concession in response to the indirect, i.e. group pressure, not expressed in the form of a demand, but at the same time felt by the individual, stereotyping his behavior, as well as beliefs and way of thinking.
21. Philosophical teaching about smoothing out conflicts up to the loss of their own principled positions of the opposing, conflicting parties.
Explanations:
Conformity means the absence or suppression of one’s own position and principles, as well as abandonment of them under pressure various forces, conditions, circumstances (majority opinion, authority, traditions, etc.). Conformism is tantamount to a person’s renunciation of the sovereignty of his moral mind, his own choice and placing responsibility on external factors(things, social institutions, etc.), therefore, renunciation of oneself as an individual.
Conformity is also regarded as non-resistance to prevailing trends, despite their internal rejection, self-removal from criticism of certain aspects of socio-political and economic reality, reluctance to express one’s own opinion, refusal of personal responsibility for actions taken, blind submission and adherence to any requirements and instructions, coming from the state, society, party, leader, religious organization, patriarchal community, family, etc. (such submission may be due not only to internal beliefs, but also to mentality and tradition).
Conformity is manifested in a change in behavior and attitudes in accordance with the previously unshared position of the majority. At the same time, he finds himself trying to attribute absolute infallibility to his authority.
Conformism should be distinguished from other manifestations of uniformity in a person’s views, opinions, judgments, behavior (including those that are formed in the process of socialization), for example, uniformity of views based on unified system knowledge about the world around us, following fashion, certain customs, etc., as well as a conscious change of views under the influence of convincing argumentation and as a result of rethinking the position.
It is advisable to distinguish between Conformity as a social phenomenon and conformist behavior as a psychological feature of a person.
All forms of collectivist consciousness are conformist, implying strict subordination of individual behavior to social norms and demands emanating from the majority.
The group, with the help of the norms of behavior it introduces, forces the individual to follow them in order to maintain the integration of group members.
Typically about a third of the people in a group exhibit this behavior, i.e. tends to obey the group's opinion. The influence of a group on an individual depends on its size (the maximum influence is in a group consisting of three people; a further increase in the size of the group does not lead to an increase in the effect), group consistency (the presence in the group of at least one “partner” who expresses the same opinion, significantly reduces the effect of group pressure), group composition (from the authority of group members, their erudition, professional affiliation, etc.). The tendency to conformity also depends on age (it decreases significantly with age) and gender (women, on average, are somewhat more conformist than men). Highly conforming women tend to accept the traditional female role, and vice versa, many women who resist group pressure were prone to conflicts in life, rejected dependent relationships with parents and other people, and had a negative attitude towards the distribution of roles in the family. Independent women had a much lower “socialization” index than subordinate women.
Conformity in many cases corresponds to the objective interest of the state in maintaining control over the population, and often corresponds to the ideas of power structures about trustworthiness. Therefore, conformity in society in relation to the existing social system and dominant values is implanted and cultivated by the dominant ideology, the system of education and ideological influence that serves it (propaganda services, means mass media and religion). Conformity is a typical feature of states with totalitarian regimes and bureaucratic organizations. A high degree of conformity based on fanaticism, dogmatism, and authoritarian thinking is characteristic of a number of religious sects.
In the “free world” with its inherent cult of individualism, uniformity of judgment, stereotypical perception and thinking are also the norm. Despite external pluralism, society imposes on its members the “rules of the game,” consumption standards, and lifestyle. Moreover, in the context of globalization, the spread of common international forms of culture throughout almost the entire territory globe Conformism appears as a stereotype of consciousness, embodied in the formula “this is how the whole world lives.”
Tendencies of leveling personality and opportunism are inherent in modern society. Conformity is explained by the inevitable result of the development of society - the price of social acceptance is Conformity and loss of independence. The spread of Conformism in society is the result of the influence of certain social factors, and is by no means a consequence of its instability, “softness”.
The lack of pluralism of opinions creates conditions for the conformal assimilation of ideological stereotypes, “unidirectional” beliefs and attitudes, which negatively affects the nature of the development of the individual and society.
The transformation of society is impossible without overcoming Conformity.
We need people for whom we can vouch that they will not take a word for granted, will not say a word against their conscience, will not be afraid of any struggle to achieve a seriously set goal.
Even ancient philosophers believed that a person, living in society, cannot be independent of it. Throughout his life, an individual has various connections with other people (indirect or direct). He affects others or is himself exposed to them. It often happens that a person can change his opinion or behavior under the influence of society and agrees with someone else’s point of view. This behavior is explained by the ability to conform.
Conformity is an adaptation, as well as passive agreement with the order of things, with the opinions and views that exist in a certain society where the individual is located. This is unconditional adherence to some models that have the greatest pressure (recognized authority, traditions, the opinion of the majority of people, etc.), lack of one’s own point of view on any issues. This term translated from Latin language(conformis) means “conforming, similar.”
Research on Conformity
Muzafer Sherif in 1937 studied the emergence of group norms in laboratory conditions. There was a screen in a dark room on which a point source of light appeared, then it moved chaotically for several seconds and then disappeared. The person undergoing the test had to notice how far the light source had moved compared to when it first appeared. At the beginning of the experiment, the subjects went through it alone and independently tried to answer the question posed. However, at the second stage, three people were already in a dark room, and they gave an answer in agreement. It was observed that people changed their minds regarding the average group norm. And at further stages of the experiment, they sought to continue to adhere to this very norm. Thus, Sheriff was the first to prove with the help of his experiment that people tend to agree with the opinions of others and often trust the judgments and views of strangers, to the detriment of their own.
Solomon Asch introduced the concept of conformity in 1956 and announced the results of his experiments, which involved a dummy group and one naive subject. A group of 7 people took part in an experiment that was aimed at studying the perception of the length of segments. During it, it was necessary to indicate one of the three segments that was drawn on the poster, corresponding to the standard. During the first stage, the dummy subjects, one at a time, almost always gave the correct answer. At the second stage, the whole group gathered together. And the dummy members deliberately gave the wrong answer, but the naive subject was unaware of this. With a categorical opinion, all the dummy participants in the experiment exerted strong pressure on the opinion of the subject. Judging by Asch's data, about 37% of all those who passed the test still listened to the wrong opinion of the group and thereby showed conformity.
Subsequently, Asch and his students organized many more experiments, varying the material presented for perception. Richard Crutchwild, for example, proposed estimating the area of a circle and a star, while inciting a dummy group to claim that the first was smaller than the second, although the star was equal in diameter to the circle. Despite such an extraordinary experience, people were found who showed conformity. We can safely say that in each of their experiments, Sherif, Asch, and Crutchvild did not use harsh coercion, there were no punishments for opposing the group’s opinions or rewards for agreeing with the group’s views. However, people voluntarily joined the opinions of the majority and thereby showed conformity.
Conditions for the emergence of conformism
S. Milgram and E. Aronson believe that conformity is a phenomenon that, to a greater or lesser extent, occurs in the presence or absence of the following conditions:
It increases if the task to be completed is quite complex, or the subject is incompetent in this matter;
Group size: the degree of conformity becomes greatest when a person is faced with the same opinion of three or more people;
Personality type: a person with low self-esteem is more susceptible to the influence of the group, in contrast to a person with high self-esteem;
Composition of the group: if there are experts in the composition, its members are significant people, and if it contains people belonging to the same social environment, then conformity increases;
Cohesion: the more cohesive a group is, the more power it has over its members;
Having an ally: if a person who defends his opinion or doubts the opinions of others has at least one ally, then the tendency to submit to group pressure decreases;
Public answer: a person is more susceptible to conformity when he has to speak in front of others than when he writes down his answers in a notebook; If an opinion is expressed publicly, then, as a rule, they try to stick to it.
Types of behavior associated with conformity
According to S. Asch, conformism is a person’s refusal of views that are significant and dear to him in order to optimize the adaptation process in a group; it is not just any alignment of opinions. Conformal behavior, or conformism, shows the degree to which an individual submits to the pressure of the majority, his acceptance of a certain stereotype of behavior, standard, value orientations of the group, norms, and values. The opposite of this is independent behavior, which is resistant to group pressure. There are four types of behavior towards it:
1. External conformism is a phenomenon when a person accepts the norms and opinions of a group only externally, but internally, at the level of self-awareness, he does not agree with it, but does not say so out loud. In general, this is true conformism. This type of behavior is characteristic of a person adapting to a group.
2. Internal conformity occurs when a person actually assimilates the opinion of the majority and agrees with it completely. This reveals a high level of suggestibility of the individual. This type is adaptable to the group.
3. Negativism manifests itself when a person resists group opinion in every possible way, very actively tries to defend his views, shows his independence, proves, argues, strives for his opinion to eventually become the opinion of the entire group, does not hide this desire. This type of behavior indicates that the individual does not want to adapt to the majority, but strives to adapt them to himself.
4. Nonconformism is independence of norms, judgments, values, independence, and non-susceptibility to group pressure. This type of behavior is characteristic of a self-sufficient person, when the opinion does not change due to the pressure of the majority and is not imposed on other people.
Modern studies of conformity make it the object of study of four sciences: psychology, sociology, philosophy and political science. Therefore, there is a need to separate it as a phenomenon in social sphere and conformal behavior as a psychological feature of a person.
Conformism and psychology
Conformism in psychology is the individual’s compliance with imaginary or real group pressure. With this behavior, a person changes personal attitudes and behavior in accordance with the position of the majority, although he did not previously share it. The individual voluntarily gives up his own opinion. Conformism in psychology is also a person’s unconditional agreement with the position of the people around him, regardless of how consistent it is with his own feelings and ideas, accepted norms, moral and ethical rules and logic.
Conformism and sociology
Conformism in sociology is the passive acceptance of the social order that already exists, the opinions prevailing in society, etc. It is necessary to distinguish from it other manifestations of uniformity in opinions, views, judgments that can be formed in the process of socialization of the individual, as well as change views due to convincing argumentation. Conformism in sociology is the adoption by a person of a certain opinion under pressure, “under pressure” from a group or society as a whole. It is explained by the fear of any sanctions or the reluctance to be left alone. When studying conformist behavior in a group, it turned out that about one third of all people tend to exhibit similar behavior, that is, they subordinate their behavior to the opinion of the entire group.
Conformism and philosophy
Conformism in philosophy is a widespread form of behavior in modern society, its protective form. In contrast to collectivism, which presupposes the participation of the individual in the development of group decisions, the conscious assimilation of the values of the group, the correlation of one’s behavior with the interests of the entire society, the team and, if necessary, subordination to the latter, conformism is the absence of one’s own position, uncritical and unprincipled adherence to any model , which has the greatest pressure force.
The person who uses it completely assimilates the type of personality that is offered to him, ceases to be himself, and completely becomes like others, as the rest of the group or society as a whole expects him to be. Philosophers believe that this helps the individual not to feel lonely and anxious, although he has to pay for this with the loss of his “I”.
Conformism and political science
Political conformism is a psychological attitude and behavior that represents adaptive adherence to norms that were previously accepted in society or a group. Typically, people are not always inclined to follow social norms, only because they accept the values that underlie these very norms (law-abidingness). Most often, some individuals, and sometimes even the majority, follow them out of pragmatic expediency or because of fear of application to them. negative sanctions(this is conformism in a negative, narrow sense).
Thus, conformism in politics is a method of political opportunism as passive acceptance of existing orders, as blind imitation of stereotypes of political behavior dominant in society, as the absence of one’s own positions.
Social conformism
Social conformism is the uncritical perception and adherence to the opinions that dominate society, mass standards, stereotypes, authoritative principles, traditions and attitudes. A person does not try to resist prevailing trends, even though internally he does not accept them. The individual perceives economic and socio-political reality without any criticism and does not express any desire to express his own opinion. Social conformism is the refusal to take personal responsibility for actions taken, blind submission and adherence to the instructions and demands that come from society, party, state, religious organization, family, leader, etc. Such submission can be explained by traditions or mentality.
Pros and cons of conformity
Exist positive features conformity, among which are the following:
Strong team cohesion, especially in crisis situations, helps to cope with them more successfully.
Organizing joint activities becomes easier.
The time it takes for a new person to adapt to a team is reduced.
However, conformism is a phenomenon that also carries negative aspects:
A person loses the ability to independently make any decisions and navigate in unusual conditions.
Conformism contributes to the development of totalitarian sects and states, carrying out mass genocides and murders.
There is a development of various prejudices and prejudices against the minority.
Personal conformity reduces the ability to make significant contributions to science or culture, as creative and original thought is eradicated.
Conformism and the state
Conformity is a phenomenon that plays an important role, being one of the mechanisms responsible for making group decisions. It is known that any social group has a degree of tolerance that relates to the behavior of its members. Each of them can deviate from accepted norms, but up to a certain limit, without undermining his position or damaging the sense of common unity.
The state is interested in not losing control over the population, so it has a positive attitude towards this phenomenon. This is why conformism in society is very often cultivated and instilled by the dominant ideology, educational system, media, and propaganda services. States with totalitarian regimes are primarily predisposed to this. Nevertheless, in the “free world”, in which individualism is cultivated, stereotypical thinking and perception is also the norm. Society tries to impose standards and a lifestyle on its members. In the context of globalization, conformism acts as a stereotype of consciousness, embodied in the common phrase: “This is how the whole world lives.”