Question

The study of conformity involves why people are likely to change their behaviors or beliefs as a result of real or imagined group pressure. Your textbook describes three types of conformity. Conformity has been a huge contributor to such groups that may be considered as cults. Define how conformity is utilized in cults, sororities, fraternities, sports, or even in the workplace. If your employer has a policy that employees must wear business attire when making a presentation to clients, which type of conformity is implied: compliance, obedience, or acceptance? What about the situation led you to your conclusion?

Answer 1

Conformity is the product of social or peer pressure which forces a person to change his attittude inorder to exist within a group .This pressure may be either real or virtual.Conformity is ,in other terms yielding to pressure from a group .It has various forms like bullying,teasing etc.The concept of conformity usually denotes obedience to a person with a higher position in terms of power,social status etc.Social conformity has two variants ,viz normative conformity and informational conformity.

There are three types of conformity ,namely compliance, identification and internalisation.These types denote various levels or stages of conformity.Compliance is the lower stage of conformity in which a particular person adapts to a pattern of behaviour which is a short term phenomena and is usually vaused by  normative social influence.Identification is the middle stage of conformity due to which a person makes alterations to his social approach and private values .This is also a short term process ,related to normative social influence.Internalisation is the top level of conformity .Here a person changes his behaviour and beliefs for al long term and this one has got connection to informational social influence.

Conformity is utilised various fields like sports ,cults and at work places in these three forms .In sports one has to obey the rules of the game, instructctions from the coach etc during the match and at practise sessions. This is short term in nature;and is most often compliance or identification.same is the case with cults.But in work places it takes longer periods of conformity;while during  office time or even when you are at home.

The insistence of your boss to wear business attire while making a presentation is usually compliance ;for it is for a short period .But it also have some elements of identification or obedience .It forces a person to give up his personal choice of selecting dresses and be obedient to the instruction given by his employeer, although for a short period of time.