Explain the meaning of the concepts: “small social group”, “conformism”.
A small social group is an association of people who have direct contact with each other, united by joint activities, emotional or family closeness, aware of their belonging to the group and recognized by other people.
Conformism is a passive, uncritical acceptance of the prevailing order, norms, values, traditions, laws, etc.
Explain the meaning of the concepts: “small social group”, “conformism”.
Small social groups are relatively small in size quantitative composition associations of people existing in society. A small social group includes from 2-3 to 20-30 people united with each other in some way common goal, joint activities aimed at achieving this goal, having certain personal and business relationships with each other. All people belong to a small social group, for example (a group of friends, a team at work, etc.)
conformism is when there is no own position, unprincipled and uncritical adherence to any person (group of people) who has the greatest power of pressure (majority opinion, authority, traditions and T. P.)
Hello, answer the question, explain the meaning of the concepts small social group and conformism, social studies, grade 7, paragraph 11 question
Small social group - a group of people (from 3 to 15 people) who are united by a common social activities, are situated in direct communication.
It is divided into
1) primary (family) or secondary (school)
2) formal (i.e. certain mandatory norms, here’s the same school uniform, it is mandatory) and informal
3) Groups that we choose (sections, circles) and those that choose us (family, classroom)
They are also divided into small and large
Conformism is like not having your own opinion and following someone else’s
- Explain the meaning of the concepts: “small social group”, “conformism”.
- What is the significance of the group they belong to for teenagers? Support your answer with examples.
A small social group is a group of people that is united general activities. Quantity from 3-15.
Conformity is a change in a person’s behavior under pressure from another, as well as from a group of people.
I think the value is great.
After all, there is a difference, if you go to study in a section, a circle, you will develop.
Or you will go and get involved with a group of hooligans and find a lot of trouble.A small social group can vary from 2-30 people. This could be a family, for example, or a class of 6th grade students. They are united by the purpose of being in this group.
conformism - mindless following general principles in this social group. If classroom teacher said tomorrow Parent meeting and you need to write it in your diary, so everyone writes it. For teenagers, this is self-development. If this is an art club, then the goal is to master artistic skills.
Explain the meaning of the concepts small social group, conformism
1. Small social group - an association of people who have direct personal contact with each other, united by joint activities, emotional or family closeness, aware of their belonging to the group and recognized by other people. The group consists of a small number of individuals and differs in many socio-psychological characteristics from groups big size.
2. Conformity is a change in behavior or beliefs as a result of real or imagined group pressure.
Explain the meaning of the concepts<< малая социальная группа>> << конформизм>>
CONFORMISM (from the Latin similar, conformable) is a person’s compliance to real or imagined group pressure, manifested in a change in his behavior and attitudes in accordance with the position of the majority that was not initially shared by him. Conformism can have both negative and some positive value, for example, while preserving the traditions of the team and establishing interaction. Submission to group norms can be overt or covert. Conformity manifests itself in a tendency to avoid independent decisions, in a passive, opportunistic orientation towards perception ready-made solutions, standards of behavior, assessments. Conformism differs from individualism, the open demonstration of one's own beliefs, norms of behavior without taking into account group norms, as well as negativism, opposition to group norms with an inability to put forward one’s views. Conformism is alien to the creative participation of the individual in resolving cognitive, labor, social and other problems, based on individual and group interestsSmall group- this is a fairly stable association of people connected by mutual contacts.
Small social group- a small group of people (from 3 to 15 people) who are united by common social activities, are in direct communication, and contribute to the emergence emotional relationships.
At more people, the group is usually divided into subgroups.
Distinctive features of a small group: Spatial and temporal co-presence of people. This co-presence of people enables personal contacts. Having a constant goal joint activities. The presence of an organizing principle in the group. It may be personified in one of the group members (leader, manager), or maybe not, but this does not mean that there is no organizing principle. It’s just that in this case the leadership function is distributed among group members. Separation and differentiation of personal roles (division and cooperation of labor, division of power, i.e. the activity of group members is not homogeneous, they make different contributions to joint activities, play different roles). The presence of emotional relationships between group members, which influence group activity, can lead to the division of the group into subgroups, form internal structure interpersonal relationships in the group. Development of a specific group culture - norms, rules, standards of life, behavior that define the expectations of group members in relation to each other.
Small social group - a group of people who are united by common activities
conformism - lack of one's own position
1. Explain the meaning of the concepts: “small group”, “conformism”, “interpersonal relationships”.
2. What is the significance of the group they belong to for teenagers? Support your answer with examples.
3. What problems might a teenager encounter in a group? Suggest ways to solve these problems.
4. Does the teenage group influence the behavior of each of its members?
5*. Why are norms, rules, customs, and traditions born in a group?
!
1. A small group is a fairly stable association of people connected by mutual contacts.
Conformism is a moral and political term denoting opportunism, passive acceptance of the existing order of things, prevailing opinions
Interpersonal relationships are a set of interactions between people.
1 explain the meaning of the concepts 2 small social group ","conformism"2What is the significance of the group they belong to for teenagers? Give examples.
3What problems might a teenager have in a group? Suggest ways to solve these problems?
4 Do you agree with the statement: “the group a teenager belongs to gives him self-confidence”? Justify your answer
5 Does a teenage group influence the behavior of each of its members?
1. Small social group - a group whose members often contact each other and are participants in interpersonal relationships. Small groups can include family, neighbors or a group of friends.
Conformism is a type of behavior, opportunism, adjusting one’s behavior to that which corresponds to the behavior and worldview of the dominant culture or group.2. It is common for teenagers to want to identify themselves with any peer group, and preferably one in which they will be most comfortable, but at the same time, which will not cause persecution from the same peers. For example: a teenager has a fairly high development potential, but is not going to develop, due to his reluctance to join a group known as “nerds,” since they are often bullied by others.
3. Due to discomfort in interpersonal relationships in a group, a teenager may close down, become withdrawn, or go into deep depression. To solve such problems, in the primary stage of development, you can try to have a heart-to-heart talk with the teenager and find out the cause of the discomfort. In the stage of depression, especially in its severe forms, it is advisable to consult a psychologist or change the situation.
Unfortunately, there is no time for the rest. maybe someone else will answer)
The norms and expectations included in the content of the role are closely interrelated.
A norm is a pattern or collective expectation of behavior that can be called
generally accepted in a certain group. In this formulation, the role is normative
pattern, structural but not behavioral characteristic. She is part
social position, but not the expression of this position in action. Social
norms - prescribed rules of behavior - characterize not only status, but
and role. One could even put it this way: thanks to the norms, structural
characteristics social space, only it becomes possible
role behavior. Thanks to them, it is, in fact, organized
accordingly.
<…>Norm – command post from which orders are given
millions of actors. Without sociocultural norms it is meaningless
talk about any roles. But the norms themselves are set from the outside (although they are implemented
within the role). Social norms - instructions, requirements, wishes and
expectations of appropriate (socially approved) behavior. Norms
are some ideal samples (templates) that prescribe what people
must speak, think, feel and do in specific situations.
Compliance is regulated by society to varying degrees
rigor<…>norms are also the obligations of one person in relation to
to another or other persons. By prohibiting newcomers from communicating with superiors more often,
than with their comrades, the small group imposes on its members
certain obligations and places them in certain relationships with
superiors and comrades. Therefore, norms form a network of social
relationships in a group, society.
Norms are also expectations: from those who comply this norm person
those around you expect completely unambiguous behavior. When there are only pedestrians
move on the right side of the street, and those who come towards them move on
left, orderly, organized interaction arises. At
When a rule is violated, clashes and disorder arise. Even more clearly
the effect of norms is manifested in business. It is in principle impossible if
partners do not comply with written and unwritten norms, rules, and laws. It became
maybe norms shape the system social interaction, which
includes motives, goals, orientation of the subjects of action, the action itself,
expectation, evaluation and means
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT
C1. Specify three senses (meanings) in which the concept of “social norm”
used in the text.
C2. Using the content of the text, explain how the concepts are related to each other
"social norms" and " social role" Give an example of any norm
expressed in role behavior.
C3. The author notes that “norms are also the responsibilities of one person to
towards another or other persons." Give any three examples
responsibilities of a high school student in all areas of his life.
C1) Norm is a pattern or collective expectation of behavior that can be called generally accepted in a certain group. Norma is the command post from which orders are given to millions of role players. Norms are also the duties of one person towards another or other persons.
C2) Social norms - prescribed rules of behavior - characterize not only status, but also role. Example: When some pedestrians move on the right side of the street, and those walking towards them move on the left, an orderly, organized interaction occurs. (Each pedestrian performs his role)
C3) A high school student is obliged to treat elders with respect, study, and obey the law
Society is the totality of the most different groups people: large and small, friendly and hostile, permanent and temporary, professional and religious, national and political.
They differ greatly from each other. Some groups are so small that virtually all of their members can see each other closely during the day, observe each other's actions, and communicate constantly. These are small groups, or personal contact groups. Family is the most clear example such a group.
Small group
A person is born into a small group (family), and most of his life takes place in small groups: student group, sports team, circle, friends, student and industrial groups, etc.
Interesting Facts
It turned out that the number of all human groups on Earth exceeds the population by 1.5-2 times. Thus, there are 7 billion people living on the planet, and the number of groups, according to experts, reaches 8-10 billion. And all this is possible due to the fact that one person can be a member of several groups at once: in a family, in a class, in a circle of friends , at a dance school, in a sports club, etc.
In order to get into the same group, we make certain efforts. Thus, many school graduates try to get into college, university and become students. Other groups are chosen for us by parents, for example music school or circle visual arts. There are groups that we do not choose; they are determined by fate. Such is the family, the composition of which is only partly the result of our choice. We can choose and leave friends at our own discretion.
In a group, that is, together with others, we form our personality and our life values. Here we share with each other the most painful, the most intimate, what we strangers we will never share.
In a group, norms, rules, customs, and traditions are born. A person needs a group and depends on it. He is a member of a family, a student group, a yard company, a sports section, etc. People survive only together.
A student group is a special type of small group. Schoolchildren live at home and only get together for a while in the classroom, where the main goal is to learn new knowledge. At school you work, rest during breaks, and have lunch. In fact, it’s like in an adult workforce at a factory or in a bank. In a student group, you form obligatory relationships to follow the rules of the routine and optional relationships with each other. That's what they call friendships.
Give examples of mandatory and friendly relations, characteristic of the student body.
Two friends are also a group. They are united by many things, including common interests, as well as the presence shared secret or a secret. After all, one of the invaluable qualities of friendship is the ability to keep a secret. The guys tell their friend their little secrets “in great confidence” and demand that he not divulge them. And if a friend spills a secret, they may quarrel with him. He gave away your secret, in fact betrayed your trust. From now on, you can’t rely on him in difficult times.
Young schoolchildren and teenagers choose friends whose values and hobbies are similar to their own. Friends are chosen mainly among students of their school, their class and, as a rule, the same gender. Boys are more likely to be friends with boys, and girls are more likely to be friends with girls.
Very good for a teenager important point is the opinion of the group to which he belongs to him. The consciousness of group belonging, solidarity, and comradely mutual assistance gives the teenager a sense of well-being and stability.
Interpersonal relationships
In a small group, a special type of relationship arises - interpersonal relationships. Just think about this phrase: relationships between individuals. That is, teenagers are already individuals.
A small group consists of people who know each other well. Constantly communicating with each other, doing something together, people talk about their personal and family problems, heatedly discussing school news, grades, extracurricular activities, new films, etc. Discussing issues that are very important to people brings them together and creates a trusting relationship between them.
Scientists have established an interesting pattern: how others treat you is largely determined by how you treat yourself. Try to understand and remember this. This is the most important law of interpersonal relationships. If you are constantly unhappy with yourself, your mood and dissatisfaction with yourself may be transmitted to others. And they will be unhappy with you. If you have low self-esteem, then others will rate you low.
Teen groups - your peer groups - spontaneously form their own codes of honor, the norms and rules for which are borrowed from the adult world. Here, loyalty and honesty are highly valued and they have a negative attitude towards betrayal, betrayal, breaking a given word, selfishness, greed, etc.
Teenagers harshly evaluate peers who do not have their own opinions, do not respect themselves, and do not know how to defend their interests.
Despite the desire to stand out and be different from everyone else, conformism—agreeing with everyone—proliferates in teenage groups. One is dependent on everyone, strives for peers and is sometimes ready to do what the group pushes him to do. At your age and a little older, teenagers begin to wear clothes of the same style and type to emphasize their involvement with each other.
In interpersonal relationships, mutual understanding is very important, how communication develops between members of a small group. Without mutual understanding, we become lonely. And loneliness is most often what a person fears most.
Let's sum it up
A teenager, like an adult, is a member of some small groups: family, school, clubs, sections, etc. Depending on the relationships in the group, the teenager will feel more or less comfortable there.
Small groups exist on the basis of mutual understanding, friendly relations, which are based on such concepts as devotion, respect, and honesty.
Basic terms and concepts
Group, small group, interpersonal relationships.
Test your knowledge
- Explain the meaning of the concepts: “small group”, “conformism”, “interpersonal relationships”.
- What does the group they belong to mean to teenagers? Support your answer with examples.
- What problems might a teenager have in a group? Suggest ways to solve these problems.
- Does a teenage group influence the behavior of each of its members?
- Why are norms, rules, customs, and traditions born in a group?
Workshop
- What groups are you part of? Name the personality traits that are valued in these groups.
- Consider in what cases a teenager can resist group opinion (for example, the opinion of classmates).
- Do you agree with the statement: “The group that a teenager belongs to gives him self-confidence”? Justify your answer.
- How do you understand the statement: “Treat others the way you would like to be treated”?
- Come up with situations that reveal the characteristics of interpersonal relationships.
A group is a human community distinguished on the basis of a certain characteristic, for example, class affiliation, the presence and nature of joint activities, characteristics of the organization, etc. Etc.
Classification of social groups: conditional and real; laboratory and natural; big and small; spontaneous and sustainable; becoming and developed.
Real (contact) - form a social community, including a significant number of people, existing in a common space and time (workforce of enterprises, teaching staff of a large school)
Conditional people included in a conditional group are divided on the basis of certain characteristics: class, national, age, etc. They may never meet each other, but due to the characteristic on the basis of which they were allocated to a similar group, they have common social and mental characteristics.
Official (formal) - people have legally fixed rights and responsibilities, normatively established structures, appointed or elected leadership
Unofficial (informal) - groups that do not have a legally fixed status, but are characterized by an established system of interpersonal relationships (friendship, sympathy, mutual understanding, trust, etc.)
The main problems of the psychology of large groups (mores, customs, traditions; the problem of the relationship between the psychological characteristics of a large group and the consciousness of each individual; spontaneous groups and mass movements, etc.).
Small group - an association of interacting persons who are in direct contact with others. Small group. Considered primarily as a community linked by emotional ties (liking, antipathy)
Basic dynamic processes in a small group: group pressure, group cohesion, leadership.
The cohesion of small groups, the stability of their structure against the influence of forces aimed at breaking intra-group ties, the effectiveness of the group depending on its size, on the leadership style, as well as other problems of interpersonal relations - all these are dynamic processes.
Conformism - it manifests the conscious or unconscious subordination of an individual to a group. Under the influence of group pressure, 1/3 of individuals change their opinion and accept what is imposed by the majority, revealing a reluctance to express and defend their opinion in conditions where it does not coincide with the assessments of others.
An individual, being under group pressure, can be either a conformist or a nonconformist.
The problem of group cohesion is of great practical importance, primarily for the selection of groups capable of best solving certain industrial, military or training tasks.
A close-knit team is able to more easily cope with difficulties, work together, create the most favorable opportunities for the development of everyone’s personality, and remain as a whole in various, including unfavorable, conditions.
In groups that have functioned for quite a long time on the basis of tasks and values that are close to them, the process of group cohesion as an integrally oriented unity intensifies.
Cohesion as a COE is a characteristic of a system of intragroup connections that shows the degree of coincidence of the group’s assessments, attitudes and positions in relation to objects (persons, tasks, ideas, events) of greatest importance for the group as a whole. COE in a team is a convergence of assessments in the moral and business spheres, in the approach to the goals and objectives of joint activities.
The index of cohesion is the frequency of coincidence of assessments or positions of group members in relation to objects that are significantly significant for the group as a whole.
Sociometric studies of group cohesion. DEVELOPED by Moreno, a person selects group members according to various criteria, based on this they conclude what place he occupies in the group. Disadvantage - the reason is not visible.
Leadership is a naturally socio-psychological process built on the influence of the personal authority of the group.
A leader is a person, behind a cat. All other members of the group recognize the right to take the most responsible decisions that affect their interests and determine the directions and nature of the activities of the entire group.
The leader may or may not be the official leader of the group; the optimal case is the coincidence of the leader and the leader in one person. If there is no such coincidence, then the effectiveness of the group depends on how the relationship develops between the official leader and the unofficial leader. A leader, unlike a manager, does not ensure all the life activities of the group and is not responsible for achieving results (there is also trait theory and system theory).
In different situations there may be different situational leaders.
10 types of leadership (according to Lewin):
Sovereign - (senior ruler) - leader in the form of a strict but beloved father. He is able to repress or suppress negative emotions, inspires people with self-confidence, he is respected and loved.
The leader - they find the embodiment of their desires in him. The personality of the leader is the bearer of standards, they try to imitate him
Tyrant - instills in others a sense of fear and command. This is the dominant personality.
Organizer – supports the “I-concept” of a group member, such a leader unites people and is respected.
Seducer - becomes a leader by playing on the weaknesses of others, acts as a magical force, prevents conflicts, and is respected. Sometimes does not achieve its goals.
A hero sacrifices himself for the sake of others and manifests himself most often in situations of group protest; the environment focuses on him.
A bad example - it emotionally infects others, acts as a source of contagion for non-confident people.
An idol attracts, attracts, is loved, idolized, idealized.
Scapegoat -
10) Outcast - anti-leaders who become the object of aggressive emotions on the part of the group. Groups often unite to fight anti-leaders, but as soon as the anti-leaders leave, the group begins to disintegrate.
Conformism is the individual’s desire to coordinate his opinions and actions with the opinions and actions of group members.
In studies of group pressure and conformity, the problem of interaction between individuals and a small group appears as a problem of the influence of the majority of group members on behavior individuals or minorities.
There are 2 types this concept:
Compliance - manifests itself in a demonstration of external agreement that does not affect a person’s true positions.
Approval is the actual transformation of a person's attitudes.
Factors influencing the degree of conformity:
Personality characteristics (age, gender, cultural differences, professional activity and so on.)
Characteristics of the group exerting pressure. As a rule, if the group is up to five people, then opinions may differ. If there are more than five people in a group, then conformist behavior group members.
Characteristics of the problem: why more difficult task or problem, the more receptive the group members are.
The nature of the relationship between the individual and the group: the level of conformity is influenced by the status of the individual.
People show conformism due to informational influence and due to normative influence, that is, they show conformism because they do not want to be rejected.
Classic example conformity is the situation" Naked King"H.-H. Andersen.
It is easier to maintain power in a group if the group itself exerts constant pressure on its members to ensure that their actions, thoughts and values coincide with the group average. In conditions of changing and ambiguous social reality, the simplest solution to this problem is for individual person is to adhere to collective truths ("if you can't do what you like, let you like what you do"). Moreover, those who deviate from the norm begin to be seen as a source of social threat, and therefore the majority begins to put pressure on him - the pressure of conformity - in the form of ridicule, social condemnation, or even direct rejection of the “deviant” person.
Conformity here is understood as conformity to some recognized or required standard. Conformity (conformal reactions) as the assimilation of certain group norms, habits and values in the general case is a necessary aspect of the socialization of the individual, but the socio-psychological mechanisms of such assimilation and the degree of autonomy of the individual in relation to the group vary.
The pressure of conformity affects a person especially strongly if he:
Needs approval or support;
Doesn't believe in himself enough;
Feels anxious.
An example is the classic experiment of Ash, 1951. There are 7 subjects in a room who compare two identical lengths with each other. Six (decoy) people give the wrong answer. The seventh is the true test subject. In this situation, 77% gave the wrong answer at least once, and 33% systematically agreed with the group's incorrect opinion.
There is no conformity pressure if there is only one “decoy”, and reaches a maximum when there are 5-8 of them. In a small group it manifests itself only in the absence social support from the subject (it is enough to introduce at least one person who agrees with the subject into the group, and it disappears).
Experiments show that conformity pressure is strongest in small groups of teenagers. At the age of 12-13, every second person is susceptible to it, from 19 to death - every third person.
The pressure of conformity exerted throughout the country (various totalitarian regimes) is much more difficult to resist. Here, in a large group, the number of people exposed to it is much more than 1/3. People begin to sincerely change their way of thinking and acting, losing their own identity.
problem social influence minorities dedicated to a significant number of predominantly European experimental research, indicating that a relatively small part of the community, defending contradictory generally accepted views, can and does change the position of the majority. Interpreting the phenomenon of such influence in different ways, the authors are unanimous on one thing: having neither power nor a priori authority, the minority directly and indirectly influences the mindset and behavior of the majority, and the results of this influence are ultimately comparable to the depth of influence of the majority itself on the minority .
Main factors:
Consistency in proving your opinion.
Confidence in one's own rightness and reasoned statements.
The presence of apostates on the part of the majority.
Consequences of minority influence:
The emergence of innovation.
The presence of disagreements in the group leads to a greater variety of proposed solutions.
In S. Moscovici's studies, subjects (a group of 6 people) were asked to loudly determine the color and intensity of the coloring of transparencies projected on the screen. Two members of the group - dummies - called throughout the experiment Blue colour slides in green. However, according to the results of the experiment, the influence of the assessments given by the minority on the assessments of the remaining members of the groups was recorded. About 10% of uninformed subjects gave estimates that coincided with the dummy ones. When subjects were presented with a successive series of shades between blue and green flowers, in the experimental group, subjects more often perceived the color presented to them as green than in control group, whose members had no contact with the dummy minority. Moreover, the most frequent bias in assessments in favor of the minority was manifested in those subjects who during the experiment most vigorously resisted the opinion of the majority.
From business practice, we can give an example of a situation like this: a worker comes to the work team, which will be a small group. new person, individual The team has some rules and regulations, for example, everyone goes to lunch not in the canteen provided by the organization, but in a small cafe opposite. A person who may not think that the group's decision is wrong and considers it unnecessary will most likely go to lunch with everyone. In this situation, the individual is subject to normative influence and does not want to be rejected by other members of the group.
Bibliography.
Psychology and ethics business communication: textbook for university students / Ed. V.N. Lavrinenko-5th ed. M: UNITY-DANA, 2006.
Krichevsky R.L., Dubovskaya E.M. Social psychology of a small group. - M.: Aspect-Press, 2001.
Andreeva G.M. Social Psychology. M.: Aspect-Press, 1996.
Sventsitsky A.L. Social psychology: Textbook. - M.: TK Velby LLC, 2003.
Aronson E. Social animal. - M.: Aspect-Press, 1998
Pochebut L.G., Chiker V.A. Organizational social psychology. - St. Petersburg: Rech, 2000.
http://de.ifmo.ru/--books/0062/4.html
Conformism- this is a moral-psychological and moral-political concept that implies an opportunistic position in society, inactive acceptance of the existing social foundation, political regime. In addition, this is the willingness to share prevailing views and beliefs, to agree with general mood, widespread in society. Also, refusal to fight prevailing tendencies, even with internal rejection, and self-removal from condemnation is also regarded as conformism. various aspects political reality, and socio-economic realities, unwillingness to express one’s own views, unwillingness to bear personal responsibility for actions committed, blind submission and unaccountable adherence to all requirements and directives emanating from state apparatus, religious organization, families.
Social conformism
Every society consists of groups that represent an association of subjects who have common moral and value guidelines and goals. Social groups are classified into medium, small and large depending on the number of its participants. Each of these groups establishes own standards, behavioral rules, attitudes.
The phenomenon of conformism modern researchers considered from four points of view: psychological, sociological, philosophical and political. Since they divide it into a phenomenon in the social environment and conformal behavior, which is psychological feature personality.
It is believed that social conformity of an individual is a slavish (uncritical) acceptance and thoughtless adherence to worldviews dominant in a particular society, public standards, mass stereotypes, authoritative beliefs, customs and attitudes. does not try to go against prevailing trends, even without internally accepting them. The human subject perceives socio-economic and political reality absolutely uncritically and does not show any desire to express his own views. Thus, social conformism is the refusal to bear personal responsibility for one’s actions, thoughtless submission and unaccountable adherence to social guidelines, the requirements of the party, religious community, state, family. Such submission is often explained by mentality or traditions.
E. Aronson and S. Milgram believe that human conformity is a phenomenon that occurs in the presence or absence of the following conditions:
- it intensifies when the task required to complete is quite complex, or the individual is ignorant of the issue being performed;
— the degree of conformity depends on the size of the group: it becomes greatest when an individual encounters the same worldview of three or more subjects;
- individuals who are exposed to the influence of the collective in to a greater extent than people with an overestimated;
- if the team has specialists, its members are significant people, if there are individuals in it who belong to the same social circle, then conformity increases;
- the more united the team, the more power it has over its members;
- if a subject defending his own position or doubting the opinions of other members of the group has at least one ally, then conformity decreases, that is, the tendency to submit to the pressure of the group decreases;
- the subject with the greatest “weight” ( social status), is also characterized by the greatest influence, since it is easier for him to put pressure on others;
- the subject is more prone to conformism when he needs to speak in front of the rest of the team than when he expresses his position in writing.
Conformity is characterized by connections with certain types of behavior. According to S. Asch, the concept of conformism implies the conscious refusal of an individual from a worldview position that is significant to him and dear views for improvement adaptation process in Group. Conformal behavioral response shows the degree of submission of an individual to the opinion of the majority, the pressure of those with the greatest “weight” in society, his acceptance of the established stereotype of behavior, and the moral and value orientations of the team. The opposite of conformism is considered to be independent behavior that is resistant to group pressure.
There are four types of behavioral response.
External conformism a person is behavior in which the individual accepts only externally the attitudes and opinions of the group, at the level of self-awareness (internally), he does not agree with them, but does not say it out loud. This position is considered true conformism.
Internal conformism personality arises when the subject actually accepts, assimilates the opinion of the group and absolutely agrees with it. Thus, it appears high degree suggestibility of the individual. The described type is considered to adapt to the group.
Negativism is revealed when an individual resists group pressure by any means, actively defends his own position, expresses independence in every possible way, gives arguments, argues, and strives for a result in which his own views will become the ideological position of the majority. The behavioral type indicates the subject’s reluctance to adapt to the social group.
Nonconformism manifests itself in independence of norms, opinions, values, independence, and immunity to group pressure. This behavioral type is characteristic of self-sufficient individuals. In other words, such individuals do not change their own worldview and do not impose it on those around them.
There is such a thing as socially approved behavior, that is, pure conformism in society. People classified as “pure conformists” strive to conform to group norms as much as possible and social attitudes. If, due to a number of circumstances, they fail to do this, then they feel like inferior individuals (inferiority complex). Often such norms and guidelines are contradictory. The same behavior may be permissible in a certain social environment, and in the other - punishable.
As a result, confusion arises, which leads to a whole series of destructive processes For . Therefore, it is believed that conformists are mostly indecisive and insecure people, which makes their communicative interaction with others very difficult. It must be understood that every individual varying degrees is a conformist. Often manifestation of this quality Very good.
The problem with conformity is people's choices when they make it a style own behavior and way of life. Thus, a conformist is a person who submits to social principles and requirements of society. Based on this, we can conclude that any individual is related to the described concept, since in varying degrees adheres to group norms and social conventions. Therefore, there is no need to consider conformists as powerless members of society. Conformists themselves chose this behavioral model. They can change it at any time. Based on this - next output: conformism in society is a life model of behavior, a habitual style of thinking that is subject to change.
Conformity of a small group is characterized by the presence of pros and cons.
Group conformity positive features:
- strong group cohesion, this is especially evident in crisis situations, since the conformity of a small group helps to more successfully cope with dangers, collapses, and disasters;
— simplicity in organizing joint activities;
— reduction of adaptation time for a new person in a team.
However, group conformism also carries with it negative aspects:
- the individual loses the ability to accept independent decisions and the ability to navigate in unfamiliar conditions;
- it contributes to the formation of totalitarian states and sects, the emergence of genocide or massacres;
- gives rise to various prejudices and biases directed against minorities;
- reduces the ability to make a significant contribution to scientific and cultural development, since it is eradicated creative idea and originality of thinking.
The phenomenon of conformism
The described phenomenon of conformity was discovered in the fifties of the last century by S. Asch American psychologist. This phenomenon plays key role in the social structure, since it represents one of the tools responsible for the formation and adoption of a collective decision. Any social group has a degree of tolerance that is relevant to the behavior of its members. Each member of a social group can deviate from established standards before certain framework, in which his position is not undermined and the sense of common unity is not damaged. Since every state is interested in maintaining control over the population, it has a positive attitude towards conformity.
Often in totalitarian states Conformism is characterized by the cultivation and propagation of the dominant ideology by means of mass media and other propaganda services. Moreover, in the so-called “free world” ( democratic countries), where individualism is cultivated, stereotypical perception and thinking are also the norm. Every society strives to impose living standards and a model of behavior on each of its members. In the conditions of worldwide political-economic and cultural-religious unification and integration, the concept of conformism acquires new meaning- it begins to act as a stereotype of consciousness, which is embodied in one phrase: “The whole world lives like this.”
It is necessary to distinguish conformism as a phenomenon from conformity, which is personal quality, found in the desire to demonstrate dependence on group opinion and pressure in different situations.
Conformity is characterized by a close connection with the importance of the conditions under which group influence is exerted on the subject, with the significance of the group for the individual and the level of group unity. The higher the level of expression listed characteristics, the brighter the effect of the group onslaught.
In relation to society, the phenomenon of negativism, that is, expressed stable resistance to society and opposing oneself to it, does not represent the opposite of conformism. Negativism is considered a separate case of manifestation of dependence on society. The opposite of the concept of conformism is the independence of the individual, the autonomy of his attitudes and behavioral reactions from society, and resistance to mass influence.
The level of expression of the described concept of conformism is influenced by the following factors:
- gender of a person (subject to conformity more women, than men);
- age (traits of conformism are more often observed in young and old people) age period);
— social status(individuals occupying more than high status in society are less susceptible to group influence);
— physical state And mental health(fatigue, poor health, mental tension increase the manifestation of conformity).
Examples of conformity can be found in large quantities in the history of wars and mass genocides, When ordinary people become brutal killers, due to the fact that they cannot resist a direct order to kill.
The phenomenon of political conformism, which is a method of opportunism and is characterized by passive recognition of existing foundations, the absence of one’s own, deserves special attention. political position, mindless copying of any political behavioral stereotypes that dominate this political system. Adaptive consciousness and conformist behavior are actively formed under certain conditions political regimes, such as: totalitarian and authoritarian, in which a common feature is the desire of individuals not to stick out, not to differ from the main gray mass, not to feel like an individual, because they will think and do for them, as good rulers need. Conformist behavior and consciousness is typical of these political regimes. The result of such consciousness and an opportunistic model of behavior is the loss of the individual’s uniqueness, identity and individuality. Due to habitual opportunism in professional field, in the activities of parties, at the polling station, the individual’s ability to make independent decisions is deformed, creative thinking. The result is that people learn to perform functions mindlessly and become slaves.
Thus, political conformism and an opportunistic position are destroying the nascent democracy and are an indicator of a lack of political culture at politicians and citizens.
Conformism and nonconformism
The group, putting pressure on the subject, forces him to follow established norms and submit to the interests of the group. Thus, conformism manifests itself. An individual can resist such pressure, showing non-conformism, or he can submit to the masses, that is, act as a conformist.
Nonconformism - this concept includes the desire of an individual to observe and fight for his own views, the results of perception, to defend his model of behavior, which directly contradicts the dominant one in a given society or group.
It cannot be stated unequivocally that one of these types of relationships between the subject and the collective is correct, and the other is not. There is no doubt that the main problem of conformity is changing the individual’s behavior pattern, since the individual will carry out actions, even realizing that they are incorrect, because the majority does this. At the same time, it is obvious that creating a cohesive group without conformity is impossible, since balance in the relationship between the group and the individual cannot be found. If a person is in a rigid nonconformist relationship with the team, then he will not become a full member of it. Subsequently, he will have to leave the group, as the conflict between them will increase.
Thus, the main features of conformity are compliance and approval. Compliance is manifested in external adherence to the requirements of society with internal disagreement and rejection of them. Approval is found in a combination of behavior that meets social pressure and internal acceptance of the demands of the latter. In other words, compliance and approval are forms of conformity.
The influence that the masses have on the behavioral pattern of individuals is not random factor, since it comes from significant socio-psychological premises.
Examples of conformism can be seen in the experiment of sociologist S. Asch. He set himself the task of finding out the nature of the influence of a peer group on its member. Asch used the decoy group method, which involved providing incorrect information by group members of six individuals of both sexes. These six people gave incorrect answers to questions asked by the experimenter (the experimenter agreed with them about this in advance). The seventh member of this group of individuals was not informed about this circumstance, since in this experiment he played the role of a subject.
In the first turn, the experimenter asks the question to the first six participants, then directly to the subject. The questions related to the length of different segments, which were asked to be compared with each other.
The participants in the experiment (six dummy people) asserted, by agreement with the researcher, that the segments were equal to each other (despite the presence of an undeniable difference in the length of the segments).
Thus, the tested individual was placed in conditions of conflict arising between his own perception of reality (the length of the segments) and the assessment of the same reality by the group members around him. As a result, the subject was faced with a difficult choice, unaware of the agreement between the experimenter and his comrades, he must either disbelieve his own perception and assessment of what he saw, or refute the point of view of the group, in fact, oppose himself to the entire group. During the experiment, it was revealed that mostly the subjects preferred “not to believe their eyes.” They did not want to oppose own opinion group point of view.
Such acceptance by the subject of clearly erroneous estimates of the length of segments, which were given in front of him by the other participants in the process, was considered as a criterion for the subordination of the subject to the group and was designated by the concept of conformism.
Individuals with average status, poorly educated people, teenagers, and people in need of social approval are susceptible to conformity.
Conformism is often contrasted with nonconformism, but a more detailed analysis reveals a lot between these behavior models. common features. A nonconformal response, like a conformal one, is conditioned by group pressure and is dependent on the pressure of the majority, although it is implemented in the logic of “no.”
The reactions of nonconformism and conformism are much more opposed to the phenomenon of individual self-determination in society.
Scientists also note that nonconformal and conformal behavioral responses are more common in social groups With low level social development and psychological formation, and, basically, is not inherent in members of highly developed prosocial groups.