M3. Explain why conformity and obedience are important in the public services, with reference to research studies. Conformity and obedience are forms of social influence which strongly affect our behaviour is social situations, from following fashions and unwritten social norms which organise our behaviour, to committing immoral acts because we are commanded to by someone who appears to be in a position of authority. This essay looks at the similarities and differences between the three, looking specifically at the factors that influence each two. Conformity within a group entails members changing their attitudes and beliefs in order to match those of others within the group.
Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations) group pressure. Basically, it can be summed up as yielding oneself to group pressures and differs based on the social setting and pressures thereof. A person adjusts his/her thinking or behavior to coincide with a particular group’s standard. Explaining Sherif’s Results • Why did Sherif’s participants change their estimates when they had to call out their answers in the presence of other people?
Going against the majority might lead to exclusion or rejection from the group. This is called normative social influence. Another type of social influence is informational social influence, it is based on our desire to be right. We conform because we don’t know what the correct way to behave is. In this situation, we look to others for information about how to behave.
The presence of others affects our behaviors through influence. Peer pressure being the best example of this. Through peer pressure our peers influence us by encouraging use to change our attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs in order for us to conform to the group norm. A person who is influenced by peer pressure may not want to actually be a part of the groups or associate with them and as such change their behavior accordingly to the group behavior when around that group. A person may change his or her attitudes and behaviors when around social groups in order to feel accepted even if they don’t particularly believe in the group behaviors.
Restating what the speaker has said makes certain that there is a common understanding between the listener and the speaker. Active listening can also give the speaker confidence that the listener is interested in what the speaker has to say. When people are in conflict, they often contradict each other. This tends to make people defensive, and they will either lash out or withdraw and say nothing more. However, if they feel that people are really attuned to their concerns and want to listen, they are likely to explain in detail what they feel and why.
According to functionalists, order and predictability is important if a society is to exist. To ensure the society functions accordingly, people have to follow the norms and share common values or value consensus. Functionalists believe that value consensus can constrain and shape humans’ behaviour because people are said to be passive and they conform to sanctions whereby rewards will be given for practicing good behaviour (positive sanction) and punishments await those who commit deviant behaviour (negative sanction). Emile Durkheim argues that society is bigger than individuals and more vast . Individuals learn to desire what the society provides and in doing so, they internalise the roles given to them.
Because this is so, Hirschi believed that it was conformity to society's laws that needed explanation. Hirschi describes four specific elements of social control or "conformity" which are, attachment, expressed concern about what others think, or sensitivity to the opinion of others that would lead individuals to avoid crime and negative behavior in order to avoid disappointing a respected individual or group teachers or parents. Commitments, investment of time, energy and oneself in a particular form of conventional activity and awareness that deviant behavior would place such investment at risk. Involvements, sufficient time and energy spent on conventional activities such that less time remains for delinquent behavior and for last, beliefs, the extent to which an individual has been socialized into and accepts the common belief system, assuming there is a common value system within the society or group. When applying the Travis Hirschi's Control Theory to myself I personally can say why I wont become a delinquent in the near future, because the social bonds I maintain with society that is with, my mom, daughter, the father of my child, husband, sister, brother, niece, aunts, uncles, neighbor and teachers.is a reason that stop me from commiting crime, that is where the frist elememt of the hirchi theory comes in, which is
Course #: ENG 1101 September 15, 2011 Conformity is an adaptation in behavior due to the real or imagined influence of others. Conformity is the tendency to support our manner, beliefs, and behaviors with those around us. It's a powerful energy that can take the form of observable social force or subtler unconscious. As much as we like to think of ourselves as individuals, the fact is that we're determined to fit in, and that frequently means going with the flow. Conformity is a social observable fact that affects people’s behavior and opinion.
Discuss two errors in attribution Attribution theory is concerned with how individuals interpret events and how this relates to their thinking and behaviour. The attribution theory relates to the concept that people try to make sense of their surroundings on the basis of what they think is the cause and what the effect of the situation. There are two attributions. When people attribute cause of other people’s behaviour to their internal characteristics, they make a dispositional attribution. The term disposition refers to somebody’s beliefs, attitudes, and personality.
As stated above majority influence is when adapt the behaviour, attitudes or values of the majority after being exposed to their values or behaviour. They publicly yield to group pressure. This is also known as compliance. In cases they yield privately and this is called internalization. The majority are able to influence because of other peoples desire to be accept or their desire to be accepted or their desire to be right.