Conformity Flashcards
Conformity
Circumstances where we may act or think differently in our given situation than we would if we were alone
Compliance
Publicly acting one way but disagreeing with those actions when alone
Obedience
Told to do something
Acceptance
internally believe something to be true
Sherif studies
How were social norms formed?
Putting people in dark room and told to watch a light move, then tell the researchers how far it moved (but it didn’t actually)
When people were put in groups, they would change the answers
Asch Studies
How our opinions shaped by others
The research team acted in a way that influenced participants
Both groups were in the same room doing a vision test, participants had to identify which of the 3 lines were similar to the target line
The true participants would answer incorrectly because the rest of the participants did – in fear of failure
Normative Conformity
When we are giving into peer pressure
Informal Conformity
o When there is a gap between knowledge and something
o Look to the groups actions and conform to that
Deviance
A violation of norms
Anomie Theory
People are guided by culturally appropriate goals and means
Modes of adaptation
Innovation
Ritualism
Retreatism
Rebellion
Innovation
Accept the goals - reject the means
(Criminals)
Ritualism
Reject the goals - accept the means
(Following the path (school, job))
Retreatism
Reject means and goals
(Addicts, voluntarily homeless)
Rebellion
Reject means and goals but replace them with other goals and means
Social Control Theory
If it weren’t for society, we would lose all control
The stronger the tie to society and your relationships, the less likely you’ll be deviant
4 components of social control theory
Attachment - The more attached you are to family, the less likely you’ll be deviant
Commitment - When you know there is something to lose
Involvement - How involved you are in society
Belief - how much you believe in conformity
Differential Association Theory
You learn behaviours, norms, etc. within a primary group
- Family, peer groups
Classical Conditioning
We learn everything through associating stimuli with response
Differential Identification theory
We learn deviants from non-significant others
(tv, books, videogames)
Labelling theory
Deviance is subjective
The reactions to deviance makes an action deviant rather than the actions itself
Techniques of Neutralization
Denial of responsibility
Denial of injury
Denial of victim
Condemning the condemners
Appeal to higher loyalty
Denial of responsibility
Were forced into something
Denial of injury
No big deal because there was no harm done
Denial of Victim
The person got what they deserved
Condemning the condemners
You are just as bad as me
Appeal to higher loyalty
Had higher purpose for the actions
Informal Labelling
Norm violation
Penalty by peers not authorities
Formal labelling
Formal label placed by Institution
Pros: Being able to get help when diagnosed with something
Release tension
Feeling better about yourself because your ‘not that bad’
Sense of community and solidarity
Cons: People getting treated differently due to the label Overmedicating – throwing pills at the problem will solve it
