In this lesson you are going to team several. 1 influence - first we focus on conformity i.e. an is changes one's behavior so as to follow the existing social Nona», are the widely accepted ideas or rules indicating how people behave in certain situations. We will also read about the factors effecting conformity. Another form of social influence that w

ill be dealt with this lesson is obedience.

• what is conformity;

• factors influencing conformity;

• what is obedience.

Social norms can be detailed and explicit, as they are for traffic regulation. Norms can also be unspoken or implicit. For example to point a finger towards someone or not to stand up when the national anthem is sung is not considered good in the society. Regardless of personal political beliefs these are two behaviours which we normally conform to, even though they are not told to us so obviously.

This strong tendency towards conformity may at times discourage people from doing their own things. But without it we would be living in be midst of social chaos. For instance consider the danger to both drivers and pedestrians if the traffic rules were not widely followed. This does not mean that social conformity is always advantageous. When one goes for a formal dinner party, normally one does not take A second I helping till the hostess offers or asks one to do so. This refers to the |unspoken, implicit norms. If the hostess misses you while serving the second helping you may return with an empty stomach.

Cohesiveness and Conformity : Accepting influence from those we

like.

consider the following situation :

while sitting with a group of family and relatives, your mother reprimands you if you use 'slings' while talking. So while slings are a common feature in your vocabulary, you perhaps will try not to use hem in front of this group. At other times, when you are travelling in a bus with your friends, you use the slings freely. Why do you behave so differently in two different contexts ?

Partly because these two groups mean two different things to you. While look to your -"vents and relatives and seek their approval by con-arming with their expectations, yon would change your behavior in he company of your friends so, that you are accepted in that group. inch attraction towards a particular group or its individual members is usually described by the term cohesiveness. Generally, when cohesiveness is high, pressures towards conformity is more. This is one reason why most persons are much more willing to accept social from friends or persons they than admire from others. Research I this area has shown that pressures toward conformity can affect ritually any aspect of behavior.

One reason could be that as the group size increases beyond three or four members, persons exposed to social pressure begin to suspect that pressure is being put on themin a pre-planned way. They conclude that the persons in the group are not expressing individual views, nor are they behaving according to individual preferences. Rather, the group as a whole is exerting influence. This conclusion r fkes a lot of common sense. People around us are very rarely unaniluoua in their views points. More often than not, they hold different opinions.

When a group exerts influence, it is not exerted on a single individual. Conformity pressure might be exerted on several individuals at any given time. When this happens, the total influence exerted is divided among an increased number of people, and so the actual social influence shows very gradual or no increase. This is known as the social influence model and is given by two psychologist, Branford and Penned in 1984.

When an individual is the target on whom the conformity pressure is exerted, the social influence is seen to be a lot in the beginning, and then it is gradual. When the target persons are five, the same number of influence sources bring lesser social influence than seen in the first case, and it is the least when target persons are ten. So, as the target persons increase, the curve becomes flatter, because the influence exerted is divided among an increasing number of persons, and so the conformity also decreases.

Research has shown, that when, conformity decreases. Conformity preserve; " the same person may not feel as you do, but feels differently from the remaining group. Suppose in your class all the students decide to bunk one period, while you want to attend it. If all are against you, may be after a while you relent and give in to the pressure. But, if another classmate also feels the way you do, the pressure for conforming will definitely diminish. Almost all forms of social support help in reducing the pressure to conform, but certain forces of social support are more powerful than others. Studies show that support received early i.e., before the pressures toward conformity have really mounted is more effective in reducing conformity than if support is received after pressure towards conformity has built up. Also, knowing that you have someone supporting your view, your ability to resist conformity pressure will go up. So, going back to the earlier example about class bunking, if you oppose the idea, express it in the beginning, for that is when you can sway others to your side, which in turn can strengthen your position.

What makes us conform with the social norms ? Why do we accept conformity pressures, sometimes even against our individual preferences?

The answer to these questions are not easy One can give many reasons for explaining conformity behavior. Two important human needs, which are involved in conformity, appear very pertinent.

The first need deals with the desire to be liked. This is a common aspect of our daily life. For example you dress according to the accepted code in your peer group. You try to be as similar to your friends as you can, for then you are accepted and you are liked. The desire to be liked by others, makes you follow the norms and increases conformity.

The second need is related to desire to be right. How do you decide which hair style is in fashion or which dress will make you look up-to-date? While it is easier to get information about other concrete things like temperature, dimensions of any room etc., to information about issues like hair and dress you have to rely upon others opinions. You behave according to the information you get from others. This is called informational social influence, which encourages you to conform.

You do not want to go wrong, and so you rely on others actions as guidelines for you own behaviours.

Sometimes the tendency to obey is so strong what persons obey even wrong or unjust orders are given. The Jalianwala Bag incident is an example of this tendency. Then the British’s were ruling India. What made their soldiers obey the authority's command and kill thousands of men, women and children? What makes individuals behave so blindly in the real life settings any are :-

First, the authority figure takes all the responsibility for the act that he commences. Thus,the actual doer is relieved from its responsibility as he or she merely obeys orders which they use to justify their actions.

Second, the person who is commanding has obvious signs to show who is in-charge, a uniform, a cap, a designation or something similar. This makes it difficult for others to resist pressure.

A third reason for obedience could be the gradual increase in the orders. In the beginning the targeted individual is asked to do something small. Thus when police personnel are ordered to question or threaten the potential victims, gradually the intensity is increased and they may be ordered to physically harass or even kill the victims.

So, many factors work in the process, obedience. These factors are powerful ones and unfortunately the consequence of this compelling form social influence can be disastrous and tragic for many innocent victims.

Some strategies to reduce conformity in face of direct order have been found to be effective :

First, tell the targeted individuals, that they themselves and not the authorities are responsible for the consequences. "This may make them think about their actions and reconsider them.

Second, the targets may be given an indication that unquestioning submission to destructive command is not right. This may also reduce conformity.

Questioning the expertise and motive of the authority figure may make targeted individual rethink about obeying and reducing conformity. So, though the pressures exerted by an authority figure are great, they are not irresistible. Under appropriate conditions, its effect can be moderated.

* The spoken and unspoken rules which tell us how to behave are known as social norms.

* Conformity is affected by many factors. Such as :

Cohensiveness

Group

social support

gender

obedience

* We conform because of two important human needs :-

the desire to be liked

the desire to be right

1. How can one persuade another individual or a group of individuals to change their beliefs, opinions and attitudes?

2. What are the factors affecting conformity ?

Answer in one sentence :

a) What are norms ?

b) What do you mean by cohesiveness ?

c) What do you understand by destructive obedience ?

3. How is conformity affected by Social support ?

1. Social influence is that influence or society's expectations from an individual or a group of individual which changes the persons beliefs, opinions and attitudes to suit those expectations.

2. Conformity can be both good and bad for an individual, depending Upon the situation. For example, it defines certain rules explicity which helps check the comusion pronenes? of the situation. Thus if the traffic rules were not clearly described, roads will become very chaotic.

1. It has been found till the group has about 3 to 4 members, conformity increases. Beyond this however, further increase in the group size produces less effect.

2. Social support play an important role in conformity, Having even one person on your side while the rest of the group is against what you think, can decrease conformity.

1. The reasons behind conformity behaviour are

(i) The desire to be liked and the desire to be right.

(II) The desire to be right :

1. Refer section 23.3 and 23.4

2. Refer section 23.4

3. (a) Refer section 23.3

(b) Refer section 23.4

(c) Refer section 23.9

4. Refer section 23.6