Social Conformity

1. D R . N A J E E B U S S A Q L A I N
M A J M A A H U N I V E R S I T Y
K S A
Social Conformity

2. Social Conformity
 Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs,
and behaviors to group norms, politics or being like-
minded.
 Norms are implicit, specific rules, shared by a group
of individuals, that guide their interactions with
others.
 People often choose to conform to society rather
than to pursue personal desires - because it is often
easier to follow the path others have made already,
rather than forging a new one.

3. Social Conformity
 This tendency to conform occurs in small groups
and/or in society as a whole, and may result from
subtle unconscious influences (predisposed state of
mind), or from direct and overt social pressure.
 Conformity can occur in the presence of others, or
when an individual is alone. For example, people
tend to follow social norms when eating or when
watching television, even if alone.

4. Social Conformity
 People often conform from a desire
for security within a group, also known as normative
influence—typically a group of a similar
age, culture, religion or educational status.

5. Social Conformity
 Although peer pressure may manifest negatively,
conformity can be regarded as either good or bad.
 Driving on the conventionally-approved side of the
road may be seen as beneficial conformity.

6. Social Conformity
 With the appropriate environmental influence,
conforming, in early childhood years, allows one to
learn and thus, adopt the appropriate behaviours
necessary to interact and develop "correctly" within
one's society.

7. Peer Conformity
 Some adolescents gain acceptance and recognition
from their peers by conformity.
 This peer moderated conformity increases from the
transition of childhood to adolescence.
 Researchers have found that peer conformity is
strongest for individuals who reported strong
identification with their friends or groups, making
them more likely to adopt beliefs and behaviors
accepted in such circle.

8. Social responses
 According to Donelson Forsyth, after submitting to
group pressures, individuals may find themselves
facing one of several responses to conformity. These
types of responses to conformity vary in their degree
of public agreement versus private agreement.

9. Social responses
 When individuals find themselves in a position
where they publicly agree with the group's decision
yet privately disagree with the group's consensus,
they are experiencing compliance or agreement.
 In turn, conversion, otherwise known as private
acceptance, involves both publicly and privately
agreeing with the group's decision.
 Thus, this represents a true change of opinion to
match the majority.

10. Social responses
 Another type of social response, which does not
involve conformity with the majority of the group, is
called convergence.
 In this type of social response, the group member
agrees with the group's decision from the outset and
thus does not need to shift their opinion on the
matter at hand.

11. Thank You