Conformity Flashcards
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Normative
in order to fit in
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Informational
lacks knowledge thus goes to group for direction
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Factors influencing conformity
- difficulty of task
- self-esteem
- size of group (Asch’s line experiment)
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Factors influencing obedience
- identifiability
- proximity/setting
- punishment
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Appropriate and inappropriate behaviours
hard to determine because there are no written norms
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
how to determine inappropriate behaviours
- verbal reprimand
- social exclusion
- non-verbal disapproval
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Costs of non-conformity
- disruption of social order
- costly decision-making process
- widespread suspicion
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Benefits of non-conformity
- agent for change
- increases unity within group
- challenges status quo
NATURE OF CONFORMITY
Influence others and lead to social change
Draws attention to inequalities, failing or abuses and targets relevant governments
e.g. anonymous for the voiceless
AMISH
Power/Authority
> Their Lord and Saviour is both the power and influence.
Elders also possess a significantly high level of power as they have deep knowledge and understanding of their way of life
+younger generation are able to tranquilly look to God and their elders for advice
> Micro level, there are also power and ranks within the family
+parents have referent over their children (common)
+although there is a time during adolescence where the power shifts and the youth are granted ‘rumspringa’ where they are allowed to explore the modern world in aim for children to make a choice to be baptised and wed or leave the Amish community. This allows for the youth to be able to explore their sense of identity. However, more than 80% of youth eventually join the church thus showing the strength of their culture.
-However, this ultimate choice can have detrimental mental impacts for youth. E.G. ABC article where four Amish teenagers share their story, Lena states that “i want to get my GED (which is a full high school diploma), however cannot do so in an Amish community as we only complete school up tp eighth grade…im confused in my life”
Furthermore, another youth Harley, “had tried to maintain a relationship with my family but y parents did not want me to visit very often as they were afraid i would be a bad influence on my 12 younger siblings”.
-Also, drug use and deviance is associated with Rumspringa E.G. 1990s where drug offences of two Amish boys had led to the introduction of drugs in the Amish community.
AMISH
Technology
> Despite the common view, Amish people do not entirely reject technology. They embrace it selectively because according to their beliefs, using such non-natural novelties may have a serious impact on the whole community life.
+symbolises how they reject worldliness and globalisation, thus allows them to maintain strong cultural traits
+reminder of non-conformist identity
-microenterprises will increase the Amish’s interaction with the outside world. Also alter class structure, and cultural face of the Amish E.G. 50% of Amish people have had to seek outside sources of employment which has increased communication to the wider society
AMISH
Collectivism
> Each Amish district is fully independent and lives by its own set of unwritten rules, or Ordnung
> Individualism is avoided
> There is no central authority as the Amish believe the community is at the heart of their life and faith
+This focuses on community welfare rather than competition, thus people are loyal to the group and look out for one another
+With such a mindset, the Amish do not need any help from the government or any kind of insurance in cases of injuries or accidents as the community always provides support
-Knowing that you are always in sight of the commune can be negative as every person needs to posses some sort of privacy. Thus constantly being in the public eye can can psychological stress
+Nevertheless, they have lived this way from when they are born thus it becomes the norm
> However, deviation from these group standards is grounds for removal from the Amish community, proving how important their collective viewpoints are
-Removal from the community is known as shunning, and this can cause detrimental effects on relationships . At its extremes, the practice may destroy marriages, break up families, and separate children and their parents.
AMISH
Gender
> Amish adopt traditional gender roles in which wives are subordinate to their husbands
> Men are in charge of the spiritual life of the family and are responsible for providing sustenance. Women do domestic tasks, look after the children and take in light farm work. E.G. only 3% of women have a job outside of the household
+women do not question the submissive role in which they are cast because they believe their submission is consistent with the divine order of things “the head of every man is Christ, and the head of every woman is man”
-while these traditional notions of gender do not align with modernised society and the wider society may view Amish women as being oppressed
+However the Amish do not agree with the feminist notion of what it means to be liberated. And they view professional women as a negative role model, a “distortion of God’s created order”
+Moreover, though they are inferior in terms of social power, it could be argued that because of womans vital role in maintaining a functional household and family farm, women are equal in terms of value and respect, a goal feminists are still working for.
-However, due to these strict and secluded values and behaviours, there have been many cases of sexual abuse within many Amish communities. Major reasons why this abuse is so pervasive among Amish people is because of the limited education about their bodies.
