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?
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.
Some may begrudge a colleague for doing a task a certain way because they think it is wrong but in another culture it is considered acceptable . Our life experiences have most likely affected the way we think about people and we all have our own personal like and dislikes too .All this can have a significant effect on how we think of things. It is unlikely that we can
They have the ability to make their own decision through deliberate thinking. Yet, the presence of both social and authority pressure can sometimes lead a person’s mind astray. Human’s tendency to conform with their environment often gives submission to unreasonable idea; ridiculing their own conscience. In the article “The perils of obedience”, written by Stanley Milgram, it states that “obedience is a deeply ingrained behavior tendency.... [which is] overriding training in ethics, sympathy and moral conduct.” My experience above portrays a glimpse of social pressures in our everyday lives. If I were to succumb myself to the conformity of the group, I would probably be smoking now.
Since then social influence has become a field of study devoted to discovering the principles that determine our beliefs, create attitudes, and move us to action. Two forms of social influence are conformity (majority influence) and minority influence. Conformity is where a larger group of people change the behaviour (but not necessarily the attitudes and beliefs) of an individual or smaller group while minority influence is where a small group or an individual change the behaviour and usually the beliefs of an individual. The difference is both in the size of the ‘group’ causing the influence and the type of change it creates in the individual (compliance or conversion). As stated above majority influence is when adapt the behaviour, attitudes or values of the majority after being exposed to their values or behaviour.
Why do people conform? Explanations(theories of conformity) There are two type of social influence. One of it is normative social influence, it is based on our desire to be liked. We conform because we want to be appear ‘normal’ and we think that others will approve of and accept us. Going against the majority might lead to exclusion or rejection from the group.
In certain situations that include violence, peer pressure, and lack of responsibility, most people are likely to throw common sense aside and follow the orders of a higher authority figure. People’s common sense is influenced when they are in a situation that gives them power to control others, when they are under pressure by people in a group atmosphere, and when they are not forced to take responsibility for their actions. When given permission by a higher authority to harm or injure another human being, many would assume that common sense comes into effect and people would make the morally correct decision. However, studies of obedient behavior illustrate how compliant people can be when in the presence of an authoritative figure. For example, when an authority figure assures a subject that full responsibility is not the subject’s, he or she is more likely to continue even if it causes harm to another person.
Prejudice; Is It Something We Should Still Be Tolerating? Although there are many different types of people in our world today, not everyone is or will be accepted or tolerated; there are still those people who are judged either because of how they look, act or are the subject of unsubstantiated beliefs and rumors that are circulated and perpetuated by people who are uninformed, or afraid of what they perceive as a threat cause someone is different. While we know that prejudice exists, all too often it goes on around us, we may even turn a blind eye, not wanting to get involved, or worst, have that negative attention aimed at us or a loved one. We may have even added to a situation unknowingly by our attitudes and behaviors towards a group or individual that isn’t part of a social group based on a bias belief of the group we ourselves may be a part of. So how can we avoid this behavior if and when we recognize it as such?
Team Conflict, Collaboration, and Trust Cultural differences often result in varying degrees of conflict and require careful consideration (Mohammed & White, 2008). Hofstede’s (1980) analysis of culture from several dimensions provides a useful way to think about how and why coworkers might behave differently. Team members from a culture with a low Masculinity value may be more willing to spend time on team building exercises, and may appreciate the opportunity to get familiar in a social, less formal situation as opposed to a team from a high Masculinity culture. Members from these countries may be impatient with the team building functions, and prefer to dive right into the work required. These cultural differences can lead to conflict.