1. Conformity Social Psychology
Psychologically, we want to understand the world and we want to behave in an effective way.

3. People conform to social norms
A group standard is set, people adjust their attitudes, beliefs and actions to them - Or face consequences
pressure
disapproval
discomfort
rejections
This is called conformity

4. What is Conformity?
A change in behavior/belief resulting from real/imagined group pressure
It must be the result of pressure…
If the behavior is not the result of pressure, it isn’t conformity
E.g.: Someone in the group tells a joke. Others laugh and then you laugh. Why did you laugh?
Because the joke was funny  not conformity
Because everyone else laughed  conformity

5. Conformity
Conformity is at times bad, good or inconsequential (doesn’t really matter if people do it)
Examples?

6. Influenced by others
Most of us like to think we are independent, but all of us are influenced by the views and actions of others
Conformists
and Rebels

7. Informational Social Influence
We follow the behaviours and opinions of those we believe have the knowledge to understand the world
We cannot know everything or understand everything, so we rely on experts to help us

8. Normative Social Influence
We conform to receive the rewards that come from being accepted by other people, while avoiding their rejection
Read, Solomon Asch’s study (1951, 1954), p. 677

9. Kinds of Conformity: Compliance
Involves publicly acting in a way that you privately disagree with
Due to the pressure you feel to act that way
Or because it is not something you feel is worth fighting over
Or because you may die if you don’t

10. Kinds of Conformity: Acceptance
Involves both acting out AND believing in what we have been pressured to do
Again, this can be good and bad

11. Other reasons we conform- Obedience to Authority
Also important in society – we would face chaos without it
Authority figures like police, government, teachers, army – we tend to listen when commanded to do so
But also can be a bad thing
Read, Nuremburg Trials, p. 679
We will come back to this…….

12. Dissent – Going against the flow
Dissent means to go against the majority opinion
If people see one person dissenting, they may have the courage to not conform
Dissent can be socially isolating – it can also lead to people getting killed

13. Democracy vs. Dictatorship
Generally laws are the will of the people
When people don’t believe in a law, the law will change
Takes work of dissenters, educators, activists
Not always peaceful, sometimes a lot of work
Sometimes people go to jail
Laws are the will of the dictator
Their will needs to be enforced through the use of terror
Large army, torture, arrest, disappearances, murder
Journalists, activists, dissenters –lives are in danger

14. Read about Civil Rights movement
– Montgomery Bus Boycott