मराठी

Concept of Conformity

Topics

Estimated time: 16 minutes

Meaning of Conformity
Definition: Conformity
Normative Social Influence
Informational Social Influence
Personality Factors in Conformity
Key Points: Concept of Conformity

CISCE: Class 12

Meaning of Conformity

Conformity is a product of social interaction.
Individuals change their attitudes and behaviours to follow existing social norms (Baron, 2004).
It is an outward change of a person—visible in behaviour.
Powerful social agents such as family, teachers, and peers advise, instruct, and pressurise individuals to conform.
Social norms include traditions, customs, values, and spoken and unspoken rules about how to behave individually and in groups.

CISCE: Class 12

Definition: Conformity

It refers to a type of social influence in which individuals change their attitudes and behaviours in order to adhere to existing social norms." - Baron, 2004

CISCE: Class 12

Normative Social Influence

People conform because every person wants to be liked and gain acceptance from others.
When a person follows social norms, they are appreciated, praised, and rewarded verbally and economically.
This reinforcement encourages the person to keep conforming to social standards.
To win approval and love and to be seen as a "good person", a person conforms to social norms and behaves like others.
The key motive here is the desire for social approval.

CISCE: Class 12

Informational Social Influence

People conform because every normal person has an inner desire to do the correct and right thing in life.
Since right behaviour is always rewarded and wrong behaviour is always punished, people develop the right attitudes to behave correctly.
People depend on the guidance of agents of socialisation — family members, teachers, and friends — to know what is appropriate as per social norms.
For example, a person learns the correct dress style from others who tell them what is appropriate.
The key motive here is the desire to behave accurately and correctly.

CISCE: Class 12

Personality Factors in Conformity

Crutchfield (1955) and Crowne & Marlowe (1964) found that conformers tend to be less intellectually effective, less confident, less mature in social relations, more rigid, more authoritarian, and have a higher need for social approval.
Personality alone does not fully determine conformity — a person does not conform in every situation.
Conformity is a result of interaction between both personality and situational factors.
Situational factors are more important than personality in shaping conformity (Black & Davis, 1965).

CISCE: Class 12

Key Points: Concept of Conformity

Conformity is a type of social influence where people change their attitudes and behaviour to follow social norms (Baron, 2004).
It develops through social interaction, where family, teachers, and peers influence individuals to follow traditions and rules.
Normative social influence occurs when people conform to gain approval and acceptance from others.
Informational social influence occurs when people conform to behave correctly by relying on others’ guidance.
Conformity is influenced by personality and situational factors, but situational factors play a greater role (Black & Davis, 1965).