Is conformism good or bad? This is one of the questions that have no scientific answer. There are two kinds of conformity. External conformism (compliance, adaptation) is characterized by external agreement with the opinion of the group or behavior corresponding to group norms, in which internally a person shows disagreement, but does not demonstrate it, so as not to enter into open confrontation with the group. Many people in society behave as is customary, while not approving in their souls what they do (for example, putting on a tie or dress, although they don't like it). This kind of not sincere, outward conformism is called compliance. A person gives in in order to deserve encouragement or to avoid punishment, if he obeys a clearly expressed order, this is obedience. With external conformity, the person returns to his original opinion after the pressure of the group is released.
Internal conformism (approval, consent) is characterized by a change in the initial position in favor of the group. Another situation - a person sincerely believes in what the group is forcing him to do. This internal conformity is called approval. Approval sometimes follows a concession.
Outwardly similar "conformal" behavior may be based on fundamentally different psychological mechanisms. The psychological mechanisms of internal conformism can be:
identification (full or partial assimilation to the interaction partner or the group as a whole due to the positive emotional relationship to them);
internalization, that is, internal assimilation of the attitudes and values of other people or the group as a whole, their acceptance as their own.
With internal conformity, the individual retains the opinion of the group - it continues to be a source of orientation and guidance for him - even after the group has ceased to exert pressure.
Conformity depends on the characteristics of the group: people show the greatest degree of conformism when they are faced with the unanimous opinion of three or more people who are attractive enough and have a high status.
Most high level conformity also manifests itself in the case when the answers are given publicly and in the absence of preliminary statements.
The level of conformism changes not only depending on the situation, but also depending on the individual. Psychology has investigated a number of factors that determine the level of conformism of a person. The main factors are gender, personality and culture.
Experiments have shown that women, on average, are slightly more conformable than men. This circumstance is largely due to the gender system. Gender roles prescribe a man to be more aggressive, strive to achieve high status, exert influence, and a woman to be soft, compliant, and take care of interpersonal relationships.
Experiments aimed at studying the significance of personal characteristics in the manifestation of conformism have revealed that global personality characteristics do not allow predicting specific manifestations of conformism and describe well the average tendencies of conformity.
Conformity and obedience are universal phenomena. and yet their degree of expression varies from culture to culture. European and American cultures encourage individualism. Asian cultures and third world cultures are more inclined to teach collectivism. An analysis of 133 studies in 17 countries by Rod Bond and Peter Smith confirms that cultural values have a clear influence on the level of conformity. Compared to people in individualist countries, collectivists are more susceptible to the influence of others.
The concept of conformism in psychology occupies a special place. It is closely related to personal development, the desire to find your place in life. People who ponder this question often find that they cannot remain free of the opinion of the collective, relatives or friends. We all want to be heard, but at the same time we never agree to lose social approval. Independence in judgment seems to many to be something unattainable. Independence often comes at the price of loneliness and social rejection.
The phenomenon of conformism
The phenomenon of social pressure is quite common. A person lives in society and therefore cannot be completely free from it. We are all guided to one degree or another by the opinion of the majority. It is impossible to imagine the life of a modern person without rules and adherence to certain norms of behavior. These settings are in most cases dictated by the need to maintain good relationship with the necessary and helpful people. Conformity should be understood as a condition for social interaction. If each person lived exclusively according to their own rules, laws and orders, no collective activity would become possible. Let us consider in more detail the manifestations of social conformism.
Consent with public opinion
A person is forced to live according to the rules dictated by society. The phenomenon of social conformism is precisely expressed in the fact that an individual adjusts to the opinion of the majority, sometimes refusing own desires... Individual opportunities seem to many to be something like an unattainable dream. For this reason, the implementation personal plans most people deliberately procrastinate. Of course, this approach does not contribute in any way personal development... However, it allows you to maintain a comfortable relationship with others. For most people, being alone and socially isolated is so scary that they easily abandon individual plans.
Disclaimer of your opinion
Conformity assumes that a person neglects his own position in favor of social attitudes. A person chooses for himself to follow someone else's position and agree with the opinion of the majority, so as not to lose respect, workplace or a high position. All this requires a lot of emotional costs. The phenomenon of social conformism is interesting in that it allows you to track the degree of a person's dependence on others. Social pressure is sometimes so strong that it completely changes the consciousness of a person. A person often begins to live only by the requirements of society, forgetting about his own needs. Conformity presupposes the rejection of individual aspirations, because they simply do not have either time or moral strength.
Feeling addicted
A significant characteristic of conformity that cannot be ignored. The phenomenon of social conformism assumes that a person gradually gets used to the fact that his individual thoughts and aspirations are not realized. In some cases, this leads to prolonged depression, to forget about your own goals and dreams. Other people, experiencing a state of dependence on the opinion of society, feel a colossal feeling of inner dissatisfaction. They are aware of what is happening to them and want to somehow rectify the situation. Only for this it is often necessary to act not just boldly, but as openly and quickly as possible. It is extremely difficult for an indecisive person to decide to accept changes in their own life. Such a person constantly seeks the approval of others in everything.
Conformism as a phenomenon deserves special attention. Conformism is of interest to sociologists and psychologists. There are certain reasons contributing to the formation and development of conformism. Most often, they are associated with social interaction. So why does a person develop the habit of listening to the opinions of the people around them?
Support and endorsement
We all strive to be heard. Nobody wants to be isolated. Not everyone is able to withstand a situation when their personal position is not considered, they are not taken into account when deciding important issues. Support and approval are extremely important in achieving happiness and individual well-being. For this, people sometimes deliberately refuse to defend their personal position. If his individual opinion differs from the opinion of the majority, many people prefer to remain silent and sacrifice their own interests. Sometimes this position looks so sad that the person really can only be sorry. Social conformism allows you to remain approved by the society.
Feeling secure
When a person is in society, at a certain moment he discovers that he can easily ask the people around him for help and support. This circumstance turns out to be no less important. After all, each of us wants to feel that there will be no unpleasant surprises. Conformity helps to achieve a state of oneness with society. As a result, people begin to understand each other better. Sometimes habits become common, because individual needs are erased under the influence of endless adjustment to the requirements of society. This position allows you to avoid individual disappointment, allows a person not to take responsibility for everything that happens to him. This is how the habit is formed to shift responsibility for individual aspirations and achievements onto others.
The need to be heard
No man can be happy alone. We all need to feel some support from others. For this reason, it becomes much more profitable to compromise your own opinion in order to get help and support from your immediate environment at some point. The need to be heard is one of the basic needs of a person. Without this, no material benefits will be a joy. A striking example of conformism is manifested in the desire to be on the same wavelength with the people around them. When people understand each other, they can only rejoice. However, conformism always presupposes the rejection of one's own individuality for the sake of public consciousness... Many people do this without thinking at all about why they are taking this or that step.
Low self-esteem
One of the most frequent circumstances in the development of conformism. When a person loves and appreciates himself a little, he begins to unconsciously win the approval of others. He just wants to be understood, appreciated. Otherwise, a state of unmotivated despondency sets in. The desire to act and achieve significant results disappears. The most common example of conformism is the following situation: a person comes to get a job for a new position. He does not like many conditions, and the employees load him in excess of the required measure. However, he is ready to endure all the inconveniences, just not to cause disapproval in his address. Low self-esteem very often forces a person to take on a different job. The inability to value oneself leads to the fact that others begin to take advantage of this situation.
Low self-esteem is a direct way to become an unhappy person, live someone else's life, and waste yours in vain. The inability to value oneself, unfortunately, affects both professional growth and relationships with others. There are many examples in life of how people become objects of manipulation just because they once allowed others to control their own lives. Conformism as a phenomenon originates from the unwillingness to stand out in something, from the desire to be like others. The more insecure a person experiences, the more difficult it will be for him to build his personal boundaries.
Such a social phenomenon as conformism necessarily manifests itself in different ways. There are several types of conformity. Let's consider the most common ones.
Teamwork
It is a kind of conformism in which a person does not always notice how much he is suffering. Collective activity very often creates the illusion of some cohesion and unity. In fact, people just get used to adapting to the opinion of their superiors and do not see their own opportunities. This is where conformism begins to flourish. A person loses his individuality because his true needs are not met. He is forced to obey the opinion of the majority, because he does not see a way out of a difficult situation. Many people believe that endlessly "bending over" under the command is their real destiny. In fact, everyone is able to make a choice for themselves. Teamwork is a vivid manifestation of the development of conformism, since the individual is erased there.
Compliance
If a person by nature has a rather mild disposition, then it turns out to be difficult for him to resist the opinion of the majority. Compliance often leads to the formation of addictive behavior. Failure to stand up for yourself is detrimental to personal development. Such a person will definitely be manipulated, they will use him, because he does not put forward any protection in his address.
Thus, conformism is a phenomenon in which the role of an individual in a society is measured. If a person does not want to become just a cog in a large team, then she has to prove her worth.
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 exposed to the action of those around him. 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, the definition of this term in various sciences.
Conformity - a person's tendency to change their 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 puts before the individual. Such demands can be made by both the public and a recognized authority. In addition, the traditions of a certain ethnic group... Also, the term conformism often hides the lack of personal opinion regarding any issues. The meaning of the word conformism is similar and consistent.
The phenomenon of conformism has been studied for a long time. Back in the thirties of the last century, the Turkish scientist Muzafer Sheriff conducted an interesting experiment. During the experiment, the subjects were left in a dark room, where they appeared for a certain period of time. light signals... These signals moved in a chaotic manner, after which they disappeared. After the experiment, the subjects were asked a question regarding the displacement distance of the light source after the first appearance. The subjects were obliged to answer this question on their own.
At the second stage of the experiment, several people were already in the dark room. Their task was to give an agreed answer to the same question. According to the data of this experiment, the majority of the subjects changed their initial opinion regarding the average norm for the group. Interestingly enough, the people in the group experiment later adhered to the agreed response. Thus, Musafer Sheriff 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 Ash. In the fifties of the twentieth century, this scientist 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 the segments. The subjects were given three segments, from which they had to choose one that corresponded to the sample. At the stage of self-passing the test, most of the subjects always came to the correct conclusion.
The assimilation of norms and rules of behavior is also a manifestation of conformity. However, in a group experiment, the dummy people knowingly gave a false answer. Since the person undergoing the experiment did not know that the other members of the group were dummies, under pressure from the majority, he agreed to change his point of view. According to the researcher, about forty percent of people who passed such a test agreed with the majority opinion, which is a manifestation of conformity.
How conformism arises
According to experts from the field of psychology, the development of conformism is facilitated by the cumulative 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 issues in which he is not competent. The size of the group is important, since a person tends to adhere to the point of view that was simultaneously voiced by several people.
People with low self-esteem are especially susceptible to conformism, since their model of behavior does not imply defending their own opinions.
If within a specific group of people there are experts who understand the issue that has arisen, then the level of conformity increases significantly. Also, experts note the importance of team cohesion. In their opinion, the level of cohesion is directly related to the level of the leader's 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 social pressure on a person. A special role in this issue is played by the social status and authority of a person holding a leadership position. Having a high status allows a person to easily influence the people around him.
V social psychology a term commonly used to denote the compliance of a person's personality to real or imagined group pressure Features of the behavior model
According to the specialist, rejection of one's own beliefs and agreement with the point of view of the majority is an integral part of the process of integration into a group. The presence of conformism in the personal model of behavior is revealed as a kind of expression of submission and acceptance of standards, accepted by the norm in society. Group pressure exerted on an individual can generate both agreement with the majority opinion and clear resistance to the pressure exerted. According to experts, there are four main patterns of behavior in society:
- External consent- with this model of behavior, a person agrees with the opinion of the majority only outwardly. However, the very subconscious of the individual tells him that people are wrong, but such thoughts are not spoken aloud. 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 consent- manifests itself in the case when the individual agrees with the opinion of the public and internally accepts it. This behavior model speaks of a high degree of personal suggestibility. This behavior model is a type of adaptation to 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 pattern of behavior implies defending own point opinions, to prove their own independence. Many people who adhere to this model prefer to take leadership positions in order to impose their point of view on others. This model suggests that a person does not want to lead an adaptive lifestyle, and wants to stand at the head of the pyramid.
- Non-conformism- 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 non-conformism 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 with the pressure exerted by a group of people. Under imaginary or real pressure, the individual abandons his point and point of view and agrees with the point of view of the majority, even if such attitudes were not previously shared. In addition, this term is used to denote the unconditional consent of the individual with the opinion of the public. In this situation, the level of consistency of the opinions of others, with their own ideas of the world, does not matter. Often, a person showing conformity 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 prevails 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 social order are formed in the process of personal formation. A person can change his view of the world only with 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 the studies, about one in three people agree to accept the majority opinion so as not to stand out from the group.
How the social form of conformism manifests itself
Social conformism is an uncritical change in one's own perception of the world, in order to comply with the norms established by society. Such a model of behavior does not imply resistance to mass standardization, despite the fact that the individual may internally not accept such attitudes. The overwhelming majority of people calmly perceive economic and socio-political changes, not trying to express their own dissatisfaction with the current situation.
According to experts, social form conformism is a kind of refusal to take on any responsibility and blind obedience to the requirements of society. Often, such a model of behavior is explained by the prevailing traditions and peculiarities of the mentality.
Advantages and disadvantages
The phenomenon of conformism has certain pros and cons. Among the advantages of this behavior model, it should be noted the small amount of time required to adapt to new conditions. In addition, conformism simplifies the organization of joint activities of a group of people. Such a collective shows strong cohesion under the influence of stressful situations, which helps to find a solution to the problem in a short period of time.
Internal conformism - a real change in internal attitudes and behavior as a result of the adoption of 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 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 the cultural and scientific life society.
Conclusion
A person who is part of certain social groups is forced to comply with the rules and norms that have developed in her. Standardized demeanor and conformity are closely related, as evidenced by various life examples... The examples of conformism from life given below have both positive and negative rejection, since the pressure of society to accept important decisions can be disastrous.
One example negative impact the phenomenon of conformity in 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 a person cannot express his own point of view due to fear of disobedience. An example of such a situation is the punitive detachments of the fascists, which during the Second World War destroyed many innocent people.
Positive historical example conformism is the 1968 revolution in the Philippines. The inhabitants of this state made a coup in their country, removing from the ruling position of Ferdinando Marcos, who was known as a tyrant.
The phenomenon of conformity is also found in Everyday life each person. The creation of a social unit is one of the clearest examples of conformity in people's lives. Starting a family involves giving up your own point of view in order to reach a compromise. Otherwise, a lack of mutual understanding can lead to discord in people's lives, which will end in divorce.
Conformism (social conformism, conformity) is a change by a person of norms, attitudes, perceptions, opinions and behavior in accordance with those that are accepted or dominate in a given group or society. In turn, norms are implicit, specific rules shared by a group of individuals that govern their interactions with others.
The tendency towards conformism occurs both in small groups and in society as a whole and can be the result of both unconscious influence and outright group pressure. But, curiously, a person can lean towards conformity, even if he is alone with himself. For example, people follow social norms when they watch TV.
Despite the fact that conformism is often viewed as a negative phenomenon, it carries and positive points... For example, it allows you to "read" the appropriate behavior in society and to establish effective interaction. It also influences the formation and maintenance of social norms and helps societies to function smoothly and predictably by eliminating behavior that is considered contrary to written rules.
Of course, all this does not mean that you should not have your own opinion or a unique view of the world. It just means that any society (be it an African tribe or a Google office) has its own unwritten rules, which it is desirable to adhere to.
Types of conformism
There are several classifications of conformism.
Conformity can be rational and irrational:
- Rational presupposes behavior in which a person is guided by certain reasoning and judgments.
- Irrational conformism (herd behavior) is the kind of behavior that a person exhibits under the influence of instinctive, intuitive and unconscious processes as a result of the influence of someone else's behavior.
The division into internal and external conformism is considered traditional:
- Internal is associated with a real revision of their views and positions by a person, which is very similar to self-censorship.
- External means acceptance of norms and behavior existing in society, but at the same time internal acceptance of opinion does not occur. However, it is precisely this conformism that is considered canonical, since this is an external change.
Harvard psychologist Herbert Kelmann has identified three main types of conformism:
- Submission is social conformity, although a person may have their own convictions. He tends to such behavior out of fear of rejection or a desire to establish himself in society.
- Identity is the desire to be like someone important or popular, such as a celebrity or a beloved uncle. Identification is a deeper type of conformism than submission, because it occurs on an external and internal level.
- Internalization occurs when a person accepts beliefs or behavior, and demonstrates it publicly and privately, if the "source" (role model) is trustworthy. This is the strongest type of conformism.
Examples of conformism
A person who does not live in a cave during the working day is constantly faced with manifestation of conformity: in the office, on the way to work, in the supermarket, in the family. Therefore, it is naive to believe that it is you who do not succumb to this pattern of behavior. Rather, it is about accepting the rules and norms, remaining an integral and harmonious person.
Here are some typical examples of conformity.
- The teenager dresses in a certain style because he wants to fit in with others in his social group.
- A 20-year-old student drinks at a party because all her friends do and she doesn't want to look weird.
- A woman reads a book to discuss in a book club. She liked her. Later, in the book club, everyone criticizes the novel, and she eventually agrees with their opinion (either only externally, or also internally, that is, she really begins to think that the book is bad).
- When everyone in the class decides where to go for the May holidays, part of the class persistently proposes one option, and the rest agree so that there is no conflict (while they are the majority).
- People of the past agreed that a certain metal costs a lot of money: because of its rarity, properties, color and other characteristics.
Why do people tend to conform?
Morton Deutsch and Harold Gerard in 1955 put forward a theory about why people become conformists: this is how normative and informational hypotheses emerged.
Information social influence occurs when a person turns to members of their group to get accurate information about reality. Looking at other people can make your choices easier, but unfortunately, people are not always right.
According to the information hypothesis, the reasons for the emergence of conformism:
- This usually happens when a person lacks knowledge and observes the group in order to receive guidance and adjust correctly.
- This type of fit usually involves internalization - when a person takes the views of groups and adapts them as an individual.
- When a person is in an ambiguous (i.e. unclear) situation and socially compares their behavior to the group (Sheriff's experiment).
Muzafer Sheriff (1936) wanted to know how many people would change their minds to bring them into line with the group's. In his experiment, the participants were placed in dark room and they were asked to look at a small point of light 15 feet away. They were then asked to estimate how many feet the point had moved. The trick was the lack of movement, all caused by a visual illusion known as the autokinetic effect. On the first day, the members of the group gave different assessments, but on the fourth day, it was completely the same for everyone. The Sheriff suggested that this experiment was a simulation of conformity.
Regulatory social influence arises when someone seeks to be accepted and appreciated by the rest of the group. This need for social approval and acceptance is part of our needs.
Regulatory impact has three components:
- Number of people: This component has an amazing effect - as the number increases, each person has less of an impact.
- The strength of the group. This is how important the group is to a person. The groups we value have more social impact.
- Immediacy. This is how close the group is in time and space.
According to the normative hypothesis, the main reasons for this are:
- Fear of rejection.
- This type of conformism usually implies compliance: when a person publicly accepts the views of the group but privately rejects them.
- Concession to group pressure for the reason that the person wants to fit into the group (Asch's experiment).
Solomon E. Asch (1951) showed a group of people participating in the experiment, one reference line, and then three others and asked to say which of them is more consistent with the reference. 12 out of 18 people gave the wrong answer while observing each other (although the answer was obvious enough).
As a result of his other experiments, Ash found that approximately 74% of people are conformist.
Social responses and non-conformism
Once a person is faced with group pressure, they may react in very different ways.
When a person finds himself in a position where he publicly agrees with the decision of the group, but privately disagrees with it, there is silent agreement... In turn, transformation otherwise known as private adoption, assumes both public and private agreement with the group's decision. In this case, the person actually changes his mind.
Another type of social response that does not imply conformity is called convergence... Here, the member of the group initially disagrees with the opinion of the group and does not change his point of view.
This behavior is also called non-conformist. Nonconformism is the desire to adhere to and defend norms, opinions, perceptions and behavior that directly contradict those that prevail in a given society or group. Considered the opposite of conformity, but it's not that simple.
Non-conformism can manifest itself in the form of:
- Independence (dissent) - unwillingness to bend under group pressure... In this way, the person stays true to their personal standards instead of accepting group standards. This is exactly the concept of nonconformism that is familiar to most.
- Anti-conformity - accepting opinions that are opposite to those held by the group. Such a person is motivated by the need to rebel against the status quo, he is “against, because against”. He will not read Harry Potter or go to the Avatar movie because most people do that, that is, simply out of principle. Or do all this, but not admit it, so as not to lose your status as a nonconformist in the eyes of others.
In different situations, the same people tend to show different social responses, ranging from tacit consent to anti-conformity. However, if people who adhere to the same demeanor in groups.
In our society, a huge number of people consider themselves non-conformists, engaging in self-deception, and also believing that conformism is necessarily bad. You may have realized by now that even in this matter, it is easy to go to extremes and protest simply because the majority agree. Use and be prepared to make decisions based on facts, not whether many or few people have a particular point of view. We wish you good luck!
Conformity - socio-psychological phenomenon of change in behavior or beliefs under the influence of group pressure.
Conformism is one of the group dynamics phenomena.
Types of conformism:
1) compliance or external public conformism - submission to the opinion of the group while maintaining disagreement with its position;
2) approval or internal personal conformism - a change in behavior and beliefs under the influence of the group as a result of internal acceptance of its position;
3) non-conformism or negative conformism - reactive resistance to group pressure. It manifests itself in a stubborn, non-constructive position of a person, even on generally accepted issues.
Conformity studies were carried out M. Sheriff and S. Ash, who in a series of experiments have established that there are different levels of conformism.
Levels conformal behavior:
1) submission at the level of perception - a change in the perception of the subject under the influence of a dummy group;
2) subordination at the assessment level - the subjects' recognition of their assessment as erroneous and adherence to the group's opinion, which is considered correct;
3) submission at the level of action - the subjects' awareness of the group's wrongness, but agreement with it because of the unwillingness to enter into conflict with it.
Conformism is inherent in every person to a certain extent, but the degree of its manifestation depends on situational and personal factors.
Situational factors of conformity:
1) difficult task or incompetence - the less an individual is confident in his abilities, the more conformable his behavior;
2) the quantitative composition of the group - conformism is higher with the number of group members from three to seven. An increase in the size of a group of more than seven people does not lead to an increase in the degree of conformism;
3) qualitative composition groups (their erudition and professional affiliation, etc.);
4) the authority of the person expressing the opposite opinion. At the same time, the closer and more legitimate the authority is, the stronger the submission to authority. Institutionalized authority - the authority of the formal status of a leader in a given organization - causes especially high conformity;
5) cohesion and unanimity of the group. Moreover, if there are people in the group who support the subject, then the effect of group pressure decreases;
6) publicity of responses also increases the level of conformism;
7) working for joint remuneration increases conformity;
8) the significance of belonging to a group increases the degree of conformity.
Personal factors of conformity:
1) age: people under the age of 25 are most susceptible to conformism;
2) gender: for women, conformism is somewhat higher than for men, which is associated with both the social roles they perform in society and the family, and with status differences, aspirations and needs;
3) culture: the degree of conformity of the population in the countries of European and North American culture is lower than in countries Asian culture that affirms the values of collectivism;
4) profession: conformity depends on the need within the professional activity obey your superiors. So a high level of conformity is observed among the military, members of the orchestra, etc .;
5) the status of the individual: people with high status have less conformity than people with low and medium status. Individuals with an average status are most susceptible to group influence.
Conformity theories:
1) information theory Leona Festinger based on the fact that it is not possible to verify all incoming information, so you have to rely on the opinion of other people when it is shared by many;
2) the theory of normative influence is based on the fact that conformism is associated with the desire of the individual to have some of the advantages given by membership in a group.
83. Studies of conformism in foreign and domestic social psychology
Question 84... leadership
The concept of "leader" and "leadership"
Leadership - domination of some members of the group over others.
The concept of a leader means a person who plays a dominant role in the structure of interpersonal relations. Unlike a leader, a leader is an official, vested with powers and associated with the organization of the main activities of the group. These concepts differ in the scope of problems and the procedure for nomination (the leader is nominated spontaneously, the leader is officially appointed).
Signs of leaders:
1) is highly active and proactive in solving the main tasks of the group;
2) is able to influence other members of the group;
3) is well informed about the task at hand, about the members of the group and about the situation in general;
4) behavior corresponds to social attitudes, values and norms adopted in this group;
5) has personal qualities that are standard for this group;
6) is able to go beyond the recognized norms and reference value orientations.
Leader functions:
1) the organization of joint life of the group in various spheres;
2) the development and maintenance of group norms;
3) representation of the group in relations with other groups;
4) acceptance of responsibility for the results of group activities;
5) establishing and maintaining the microclimate of the group.
Types of leadershipM. Weber :
1) traditional leadership - based on traditions, customs, faith, characteristic of traditional societies (eastern despotism, monarchy). The leader is one who belongs to the elite, a narrow group of people;
2) legal-rational (bureaucratic) - based on the rationality of the existing order in society. The leader is the one who possesses a certain level of knowledge, competence, preparedness, characteristic of industrialized countries;
3) charismatic leadership - based on divinity, supernaturalism, unusualness, appear at critical stages in history.
Types of leadership in real management practice:
1) the leader - the organizer - perceives the needs of the team as his own and actively acts. He is optimistic and confident that most problems are completely solvable, he will not offer an empty thing, he knows how to convince, he is inclined to encourage, and if he has to express his disapproval, he does it without hurting someone else's dignity, and as a result, people try to work better;
2) the leader - the creator - has the ability to see new things, which attracts people. Takes on solving problems that may seem insurmountable and even dangerous. Acts not using team methods, but invites for discussion. Sets the task in such a way that it interests and attracts people;
3) a leader - a fighter - has a strong will, is confident in his abilities, is the first to meet danger or uncertainty, and without hesitation enters the fight. He is inclined to stand up for what he believes in and fight to the end. Often acts at his own peril and risk, because he does not have enough time to think over all his actions and foresee everything;
4) the leader - the diplomat - relies on excellent knowledge of the situation and its hidden details. He is well informed about all gossip and gossip, so he knows well who and how to influence. Prefers confidential meetings in a circle of like-minded people. Allows you to openly say what everyone knows in order to divert attention from your not advertised plans;
5) a leader - a comforter - is always ready to support in difficult times, respects people, treats them kindly, polite, helpful, capable of empathy.
Leadership is also distinguished in the business sphere ("instrumental leadership") and in the emotional sphere ("expressive leadership").
According to stability, a situational and permanent leader is distinguished.
Leadership theories
Hell theory is based on the idea F. Galton about the hereditary nature of leadership. According to this theory, a leader is not made, but is born. In order to become a leader, you need to have a certain set personality traits or a set of psychological traits, such as intelligence, energy, will, courage, initiative, ability to foresee, the ability to attract attention, self-confidence, sociability, etc. However, this theory did not spread, since there was not a single a leader trait that all researchers would agree with.
Situational leadership theories see the leader as the result of a meeting of subject, place, time and circumstance. To become a political leader, according to these theories, certain psychological and professional quality that are actualized by the situation. The author emphasizes the relativity of the traits inherent in the leader depending on the situation to which the leading role is given.
Modified situational leadership theoryE. Hartley is based on a number of assumptions:
1) if a person has become a leader in one situation, then, perhaps, he can become one in another;
2) leaders in one situation are often viewed by the group as leaders in other situations;
3) the authority acquired by the leader in one situation contributes to his election as a leader in another situation;
4) a person who is motivated to do so often becomes a leader.
Situational personality theory G. Hertha and S. Milza, who identified five factors that must be taken into account when considering the phenomenon of leadership:
1) traits of a leader as a person;
2) the motives of the leader;
3) the images of the leader and the motives existing in the minds of his followers and prompting them to follow him;
4) personal characteristics of the leader as social role;
5) official and legitimate parameters within which the leader and his followers act.
Follower theory considers leaders as exponents of moods, interests, needs of certain social groups. The leader is assigned a passive role; he is only an instrument of a social group that chooses the leader who will satisfy it. Who will be the leader depends not on a specific individual and his properties, but on the quality of his followers.
Leadership effectiveness modelF. Fiedler is based on the integration of the leader's influence, his personality traits and situational variables, in particular, the relationship between the leader and the followers. Within this theory, two leadership styles are distinguished:
1) task-oriented instrumental leadership. The leader is more effective when the situation is either very favorable or very unfavorable for him;
2) emotional leadership focused on interpersonal relationships... The leader is more effective in situations that are either moderately favorable or moderately unfavorable.
The theory of the humanistic direction is based on the fact that the leader must transform the organization in such a way that the individual is provided with the freedom to fulfill his own goals and needs, and at the same time so as to contribute to the implementation of the goals and needs of the organization.
Motivational theory argues that the effectiveness of a leader depends on his ability to influence the motivation of followers, on their ability to perform a task productively and on the satisfaction experienced in the course of work.
Psychoanalytic theories of leadership decisive importance in personality behavior is given to subconscious processes, first of all, instinctive aspirations, which are associated with suppressed sexual desires, which are reborn on the basis of sublimation and compensation mechanisms into the motive of power.
The traditional question of leadership and leadership is the question of leadership styles (leadership). K. Levin in the 1930s. XX century identified three leadership styles: authoritarian (directive), democratic (collegial) and permissive (anarchic).
According to E.V. Andrienko, the leadership style is a typical system of methods of influencing group members (subordinates or followers) for a leader.
The authoritarian style presupposes tough methods of management, suppression of the initiative of the group members, the absence of group discussion of the decisions made, the leader himself makes decisions, controls and coordinates the work of the group members. The quality of decisions depends on the information that the manager has, on the ability to interpret it correctly. This style promotes the growth of hierarchical levels, the formalization of relations; involves clear planning of work, prompt decision-making in extreme situations, completing the work within the allotted time.
Democratic style - collegial discussion of problems, encouragement by the head of the initiative of subordinates, active exchange of information between management and subordinates. The leader has more information about group processes, which makes situations more appropriate, and the decision-making process can be delayed. The style contributes to a favorable psychological climate in the group, among the members of the group there is a higher degree of satisfaction with their work.
The permissive style is manifested in the voluntary refusal of the leader from management functions, the transfer of management functions to group members. The group exists independently, the social distance between the members of the group is reduced, and familiarity increases. At the same time, interest in the case may decrease and lead to a failure to achieve the goal. However, the style can contribute to the growth of responsibility and independence of the rank-and-file members of the group.
Each style has its own merits and demerits; one may be appropriate in some circumstances, the other in others. It is likely that the most successful leaders and leaders are guided by all three styles.
The presented scheme does not cover all aspects of the leadership style manifestation. V experimental research the following types will be distinguished: leader-organizer, leader-initiator, leader-erudite, leader-generator of emotional mood, leader-skillful leader, leader of emotional attraction.
Often in experimental research, leadership style is mixed with leadership style. This may not always be justified, since the functions of the leader and the leader, the nature of their activities, are not unambiguous.
85. Leadership and its varieties
Leadership - it is the ability to form a team and lead it to its intended goals based on personal authority. People who have this ability abuse it in the name of personal interests..
The shortest definition of leadership belongs to T. Gamble and M. Gamble: "Leadership is the ability to influence others."
General leadership in a group consists of the following components: emotional, business and informational. According to the content of leadership activities in social groups, a type of leader type is usually distinguished (sometimes they are called leader roles):
1. Business leadership typical for formal groups solving production problems. It is based on such qualities as high competence, the ability to solve organizational problems better than others, business authority, the greatest experience in this field of activity. Business leadership influences leadership most strongly. He works well with the "business" leader (the hands of the group), he can organize a business, establish the necessary business relationships, and ensure the success of the business.
2. Emotional leadership arises in informal social groups on the basis of human sympathy, the attractiveness of the leader as a participant in interpersonal communication. An emotional leader inspires confidence in people, radiates kindness, instills confidence, relieves psychological tension, and creates an atmosphere of psychological comfort. The emotional leader (the heart of the group) is a person to whom each person in the group can turn for sympathy, “cry in the waistcoat”.
3.K Information leader("The brain of the group") everyone asks questions because he is erudite, knows everything, can explain and help find the information he needs.
The best will be a leader who combines all three components, but such universal leader is rare. Most often, however, there is a combination of two components: emotional and business, informational and business.
Situational leadership can be businesslike and emotional in nature. Its distinguishing feature is instability, temporary limitation, connection with certain situation... A situational leader can be a leader in some situations and cannot be in others. L.I. Umansky identifies 6 types of leaders according to their roles: 1) organizer (group integration function); 2) initiator (putting forward ideas and solving new problems); 3) generator of emotional mood (dominates in the formation of the mood of the group); 4) standard (sample, ideal, "star"); 5) master (specialist in some kind of activity); 6) erudite (distinguished by extensive knowledge).
Leadership is distinguished by the strength of influence on group members: "unquestioning leader"- instructions are followed even when they are at odds with the interests of the group members; "Not unquestioning"- submission is possible as long as there is no contradiction between their own interests and the needs of the members of the group.
Depending on the direction of influence(rather, by the result of leadership for the organization) leadership can be viewed as constructive-destructive and neutral. The first (functional) contributes to the implementation of the goals of the organization. The second (dysfunctional) is formed on the basis of aspirations that damage the organization (leadership in a group of thieves or bribe-takers formed in production). The third does not directly affect the efficiency of production activities (leadership among amateur gardeners working in the same organization). V real life the boundaries between these types of leadership are fluid, especially between constructive and neutral leadership.
88. Subject and structure of applied social psychology
89. Specificity of applied social and psychological research
90. The main areas of activity of a practical social psychologist.