Conformal behavior of an individual in society

What is human behavior? This is his actions in relation to the environment, to himself. In the broadest sense, this is the social function that indicates the individual's ability to adapt and contact with society.

In today's social psychology, we distinguish such types of human behavior as conformism and the opposite of it-nonconformism. The phenomenon of conformism can be characterized as the ability to adapt, change under the pressure of society its opinion, actions. A good illustration to this definition may be Andersen's tale of a king whose subordinates were afraid to even assume that in fact the ruler is naked.

The opposite ability of an individual to remain independent of someone else's opinion is the concept of "nonconformism" - this is the ability to maintain an independent position. Studies of group influence on the individual and its values have become a separate subject for study.

In the literature, the concept of "conformal behavior" is more often used, the term refers to the attitude of a person to a group, its susceptibility to influence. This can be conscious compliance to the opinion of the majority in order to avoid conflict or complete dependence on the authorities and leaders of the society.

In the "convenient" for society, there are two types of behavior. External conformity, when the individual artificially agrees with the majority opinion, but internally maintains his views. And the internal conformity - a person is so influenced by the group that without criticism he takes any information and does not even try to think for himself, but relies entirely on the opinion of society.

A very interesting feature was revealed by scientists and recorded by experiments in those cases when a person denies conformal behavior. This so-called position of persistent negativism, full rejection of group pressure, which seems at first glance to be independent. But in reality, as studies have shown, such cases are not the complete freedom of the individual from the society. And if I may say so, this is the so-called conformal behavior On the contrary. That is, setting a goal - under no circumstances to obey the group, the individual becomes dependent on it. Because, one way or another, he is attached to public opinion, but only in the opposite direction.

Authentic independence and independence can be called not a complete denial of public opinion (negativism), but still a sober assessment of the values of the group, its behavior.

What affects the suggestibility of a person and his conformal behavior, why does he become a slave?

Experiments have shown that the susceptibility to group pressure is influenced, first of all, by the characteristics of the individual himself. The highest level of suggestibility is observed in adolescence and adolescence. Then the degree of conformism gradually decreases, and during maturity it remains practically at a constant level. High influence of the group on people who by profession are forced to contact a large team and adapt to it. The most consistent personalities can be called orchestral musicians, military, employees of large corporations.

It is noticed that individuals with high status can persistently resist the majority. The most suggestible in society is the middle class, and the faces of the polar category are the most capable to withstand the pressure of others for the longest time.

Conformal behavior is, rather, the misfortune of our society. In the era of an overabundance of incoming information, when it is impossible to verify it, people are often forced to take on faith other people's values and views. On the other hand, there is a positive impact of this phenomenon, it helps society to be a single mechanism, contributes to the preservation of traditions, culture and social values.