Influences of Conformity and Obedience

Influences of Conformity and Obedience

People are said to be social animals because of the way we want to live among others in order to be able to socialize. Social influence includes a variation of beliefs, attitudes, ideas or behavior as a result of the interaction among people (Fiske, 2010). When choosing behaviors by which to live by, most people will choose conformity and obedience not only independently but also when in a group. Conformity is when a person goes along with the majority to please them. This is usually done when trying to join a group. Obedience means following to instructions or orders from someone in authority. Both concepts are related because both can persuade a person or a group of people to change thoughts, behavior, and actions for particular situations. While conformity and obedience are always the best way to go everyone does have their own feelings and personality and might not always agree with the majority.

Compare and contrast the concepts of conformity and obedience.

The definition of conformity is so broad because it implies that people display the same behavior as other people in a group that is significant to a certain group. When conformity is taking place there are several things that need to be considered such as informational and normative influence, group size, gender and age differences and the influences we get from different cultures. These things all play an important part when people are trying to conform. Informational influence happens when a person believes that other people are right in their thinking. When people conform they become part of the group because it shows commitment to group beliefs. "Culture, gender, personality and other factors are believed to have great impact on how people conform themselves in a group settings" (Fiske, 2010). When people change their behaviors to help a group and those behaviors have nothing to do with helping social rights the group will end up suffering because the group is wrestling with what conformity truly stands for.

Whereas obedience happens when people change their behavior or attitudes because a person that is above them has told them to do so, but just because they changed what was asked of them does not suggest that they approve of the change. They obeyed what they were told to do. Obedience is the tendency to do what a person is told to do others that are above them. Obedience is studied by psychologists to describe how social factors affect the way people behave. In the 1960s Stanley Milgram performed an experiment in the 1960's where 65% of the people that participated obeyed instructions that required them to give what they thought were very strong shocks of electricity to other people (they obeyed these orders even if the other people who received the shocks cried out in pain). His research, reinforced by other experiments, implies that people usually obey what they are told. The best example of obedient behavior in individuals is the military and all it stands for, or a child and their parents.

Analyze a classical study concerning the effect of group influence on the self.

Human behavior is often strongly affected by other people and groups of people as well as the groups to which a person may belong. Groups usually have established norms that tell its members how they are expected behave as members of the group. According to Baron, Branscombe, and Byrne (2009), "Perhaps much more surprising is the fact that often, we are strongly affected by the mere presence of others, even if we are not part of a formal group" ( para.1). Individuals can also withdraw from groups if they believe that the group is no longer providing their needs or has changed to a point where the group no longer reflects their desires, beliefs, needs, or values. Both of the above-mentioned styles of interactions can greatly affect an individual and how he or she may come to terms within their role of self. These norms and expectations are a part of group influence and what is known as conformity and obedience.

Individuals that are part of a group experience all the issues that are going on within the group such as: success, conflict, threat and so on. The person is forced to face with these issues; therefore, he or she will also have to deal with these issues on a personal level. Individuals that are part of a group are expected to share (Fiske, 2010). Self-categorization theory and the theory of status characteristics and expectation states are said to be very important on the issue of social influence. An individual social status and shared group membership are the two factors responsible for a person capacity to persuade others within a group. Because of the person's social status for example an architect, he or she can greatly influence others that are within the group because others look up that person. The person's influence on other members of the group can be: true influences or power-based influences. In other words, members of the group can behave in ways to simply please others, or they can also choose to show their true self by behaving in ways they felt is appropriate. By becoming member of a group, each member is expected to behave in ways that are acceptable to the group; and the members can sometimes act not as an individual, but as collective or unified members of a group. The issue of individuality no longer exists for some as soon as they are part of a group; and such tendency will cause the person to behave in ways that are not part of his or her character (Oldmeadow 2003). Research has shown how the fairness and tolerance within a group can only work to its advantage.

Contemporary example of the effect that group influence has on the self

The effect that group influences have on the self in a contemporary example is like the whole bun fad currently