Conformist – who is this? What is conformism? External and internal conformity.

Conformity is a term in social psychology that is directly related to human behavior in a small group and means a form of adaptation, submission and agreement with the norms and rules established in the group, regardless of how much they correspond to the ethical, cultural and legal norms and rules in society in in general. Accordingly, a conformist personality is a type of person who, in the external attributes of life, in clothing, appearance, as well as in all other areas of it, in every possible way avoids the manifestation of individuality and completely accepts the rules of behavior, tastes and lifestyle of the environment. Sociologists and psychologists often define conformity as a style of behavior that is characterized by “blindly” accepting someone else’s opinion in order to avoid unnecessary problems and difficulties, gain authority, and achieve a goal.

In the process of socialization, conformity is inevitable and plays both positive and negative roles. On the one hand, it often leads to the correction of certain mistakes, when a person accepts the opinion of the majority, which is correct; on the other hand, excessive conformism interferes with the affirmation of the individual “I”, one’s own opinion and behavior. Success in the process of socialization is associated with a reasonable amount of conformity, when it is combined with adequate self-esteem and sufficient self-confidence.

In a negative sense, conformity behavior is characterized by three main aspects:

A pronounced lack of one's own views and beliefs, caused by weakness of character.

Orientation in behavior towards complete agreement with the views, values, rules and norms of the majority in order to achieve a certain goal.

Submission to group pressure, and as a result, complete acceptance of the rules of behavior of other group members. Under pressure, an individual begins to think, feel and act like the majority.

Conformal is divided into two types: internal and external subordination to the group. External submission is always associated with the conscious (sometimes forced) acceptance of normative rules and adaptation to the opinion of the majority. As a rule, it gives rise to deep conflict, although sometimes there is no conflict.

Internal submission is the perception of the group’s opinion as one’s own, and compliance with the rules and norms of behavior not only within the group, but also outside it, and the development of one’s own logical explanation and justification for this choice.

In accordance with the types, a person’s conformist behavior is divided into three levels: the level of subordination, which limits the influence of the group on the individual to one specific situation, does not last long and has only an external character; level of identification, when a person partially or completely likens himself to others, or group members expect certain behavior from each other; the level of internalization, when the individual’s value system coincides with the group’s value system and it is relatively independent of external influences.

Conformal human behavior is always associated with a number of specific factors that give rise to it. Firstly, it manifests itself only when there is a conflict between a group and an individual. Secondly, it manifests itself only under the psychological influence of the group (negative assessments, general opinion, offensive jokes, etc.). Thirdly, the degree of conformity is influenced by group factors such as its size, structure and degree of cohesion, as well as the individual personal characteristics of its members.

So, a person’s conforming behavior should not always be viewed in a negative aspect. Reasonable submission to established norms and rules in society, but at the same time maintaining one’s own “I”, adequate self-esteem and assessment of what is happening around contributes to the process of socialization. But such a phenomenon as nonconformism - the denial and rejection of all norms and values ​​established in society - is not an alternative to conformism, but only a manifestation of negativism.

CONFORMISM (from Late Latin conformis - similar, conformable) - opportunism, passive acceptance of the existing order, prevailing opinions, lack of one’s own position, unprincipled and uncritical adherence to any model that has the greatest pressure. Large encyclopedic dictionary

conformism - noun, number of synonyms: 2 unscrupulousness 13 opportunism 6 Dictionary of Russian synonyms

conformism - Conform/change/. Morphemic-spelling dictionary

conformism - spelling conformism, -a Lopatin's spelling dictionary

conformism - conformism I m. Psychological phenomenon of dependence on public opinion. II m. Passive acceptance of the existing order, prevailing opinion, etc.; opportunism. Explanatory Dictionary by Efremova

CONFORMISM - (lat. conformis - similar, similar) opportunism, passive perception of the existing order of things, prevailing opinions, bordering on servility. Economic dictionary of terms

conformism - CONFORMISM, a, m. (book). Adaptability, thoughtless adherence to general opinions and fashion trends. | adj. conformist, oh, oh. Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

CONFORMISM - CONFORMISM (from Latin conformis - similar, conformable) - English. conformism; German Conformizm. 1. Adaptation, uncritical acceptance of the existing order of things, norms, values, habits, opinions, etc., lack of one’s own position. Sociological Dictionary

conformism - CONFORMISM -a; m. [from lat. cōn-fōrmis - similar, similar] Book. 1. A person’s ability to change his views and behavior under the influence or pressure of the majority. 2. Adaptability, passive acceptance of the existing order, following general opinions and fashionable trends. ◁ Conformist (see). Kuznetsov's Explanatory Dictionary

CONFORMISM - See CONFORMITY. Large psychological dictionary

CONFORMISM - CONFORMISM (from late Latin conformis - similar, conformable) - an individual’s uncritical acceptance of the existing order of things, adaptation to it, refusal to develop his own position... New Philosophical Encyclopedia

conformism - Conformism, conformisms, conformism, conformisms, conformism, conformisms, conformism, conformisms, conformism, conformisms, conformism, conformisms Zaliznyak's Grammar Dictionary

Conformism - (from Latin conformis - similar) the tendency of an individual to change his beliefs, values ​​and actions under the influence of the group in which the person is included. In psychology, the tendency... Pedagogical terminological dictionary

conformism - CONFORMISM a, m. conformisme m.<�п.-лат. conformis подобный, сходный. Приспособленчество, пассивное принятие существующего порядка вещей, господствующих мнений и т. п. СИС 1985. Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian language

According to philosophers, a person living in society is dependent on the opinion of the public. Throughout his life, a person enters into various relationships with the people around him. Each person to some extent influences his environment and is affected by others. Often the behavioral model and perception of the surrounding world are built precisely under the influence of society. This behavioral model is characterized as a tendency to conformism. In this article we will analyze what conformism is and the definition of this term in various sciences.

Conformity is a person’s tendency to change his initial assessments under the influence of the opinions of others

What is conformism

Conformism is an adaptation or passive agreement with the opinion of the overwhelming majority of people who make up the social group in which a person is located. This concept should be understood as the unquestioning fulfillment of the requirements that society places on the individual. Such demands can be expressed either by the public or by a recognized authority. In addition, the traditions of a particular ethnic group play an important role. Also, the term conformism often hides a lack of personal opinion regarding any issues. The meaning of the word conformism is similar and conformable.

The phenomenon of conformity has been studied for a long time. Back in the thirties of the last century, the Turkish scientist Muzafer Sherif conducted an interesting experiment. During the experiment, subjects were left in a dark room where light signals appeared for a certain period of time. These signals moved in a chaotic manner and then disappeared. After the experiment, the subjects were asked a question regarding the distance of the light source displacement after the first appearance. The subjects were required to answer this question independently.

At the second stage of the experiment, there were already several people in the dark room. Their task was to provide a consistent answer to the same question. According to the data of this experiment, the majority of subjects changed their initial opinion regarding the average norm for the group. Quite interesting is the fact that people who underwent the group experiment subsequently stuck to the agreed answer. Thus, Muzafer Sherif proved that people have a tendency to agree with the judgments of others. It was the Sheriff who first expressed the opinion that many people are ready to sacrifice their own beliefs in order to “not stand out from the crowd.”

Considering the various manifestations of this phenomenon, it should be said that the term “conformism” was first used by the American psychologist Solomon Asch. In the fifties of the twentieth century, these scientists conducted experiments in which dummy people and only one subject took part. The essence of the experiment was to study the perception of the duration of segments. The subjects were given three segments, from which they had to choose one that matched the sample. At the stage of taking the test independently, the majority of subjects always came to the correct conclusion.

The assimilation of norms and rules of behavior is also a manifestation of conformity

However, during a group experiment, dummy people deliberately gave a false answer. Since the person undergoing the experiment did not know that the rest of the group members were fake, under pressure from the majority he agreed to change his point of view. According to the researcher, approximately forty percent of people who passed such a test agreed with the opinion of the majority, which is a manifestation of conformism.

How conformism arises

According to experts in the field of psychology, the development of conformism is facilitated by the combined influence of various factors. The strength of the manifestation of this phenomenon increases under the pressure of circumstances that require a person to make a decision in matters in which he is incompetent.

The size of the group is important, since a person is inclined to adhere to the point of view that was simultaneously voiced by several people.

People with low self-esteem are especially susceptible to conformity, since their behavior model does not imply defending their own opinion.

If within a specific group of people there are experts who understand the issue at hand, then the level of conformity increases significantly. Experts also note the importance of team cohesion. In their opinion, the level of cohesion has a direct connection with the leader’s level of power over the rest of the group.

It should be noted that the presence of an ally who takes the side of a person who expresses doubt in the opinion of the public automatically reduces the level of pressure from society on the person. A special role in this issue is played by the social status and authority of the person occupying a leadership position. Having a high status allows a person to easily influence the people around him.

In social psychology, the term is usually used to refer to the malleability of an individual's personality to real or perceived group pressure.

According to the specialist, abandoning one’s own beliefs and agreeing with the point of view of the majority is an integral part of the process of integration into the group. The presence of conformism in a personal model of behavior is revealed by a peculiar expression of submission and acceptance of standards accepted as the norm in society. Group pressure exerted on an individual can cause both agreement with the opinion of the majority and obvious resistance to the pressure exerted. According to experts, there are four main models of behavior in society:

1. External agreement– with this model of behavior, a person agrees with the opinion of the majority only externally. However, the individual’s subconscious itself tells him that people are mistaken, but such thoughts are not spoken out loud. According to psychologists, such a model of behavior is a manifestation of true conformism and is characteristic of people trying to find their own place in society.
2. Internal agreement- manifests itself in the case when an individual agrees with the opinion of the public and internally accepts it. This model of behavior indicates a high degree of personal suggestibility. This behavior pattern is a type of adaptation in changing conditions.
3. Negation– this model of behavior is better known as negativism and manifests itself in the form of resistance to the opinion of the majority. This model of behavior involves defending your own point of view to prove your own independence. Many people who adhere to this model prefer to occupy leadership positions in order to impose their point of view on others. This model suggests that a person does not want to lead an opportunistic lifestyle, and wants to become the head of the pyramid.
4. Nonconformism- a synonym for negativism, in which a person shows resistance to public pressure. This model of behavior is typical for self-sufficient individuals whose point of view does not change under the pressure of the majority. The main difference between nonconformism and negativism is that people who adhere to the first model of behavior do not impose their point of view on other members of society.

According to experts, there are the following types of conformism: psychological, political science, social and philosophical.

The concept of conformism in psychology and sociology

Conformity in psychology is a model of personal behavior that determines the degree of compliance to pressure exerted by a group of people.

Under imaginary or real pressure, an individual abandons his point of view and agrees with the point of view of the majority, even in the case where such attitudes were not previously shared. In addition, this term is used to denote the unconditional agreement of an individual with the opinion of the public. In this situation, the level of consistency between the opinions of others and one’s own ideas of the world does not matter. Often a person who shows conformism internally resists the imposed moral and ethical rules and norms.

They talk about external conformism when a person, agreeing with the imposed opinion of the majority, internally remains with his convictions

In sociology, the phenomenon under consideration manifests itself in the form of passive acceptance of the social foundation that dominates in society. It is important to be able to distinguish conformity from the same opinions and views on the social order of society. Most often, many judgments about the social order are formed in the process of personal formation. A person can change his view of the world only if he has convincing arguments.

The term “conformity” is used in sociology to describe the process of changing one’s own beliefs under the influence of the majority.

Such changes in one’s own worldview are explained by the fear of various sanctions and the fear of becoming lonely. According to studies, approximately every third person agrees to accept the majority opinion in order not to stand out from the group.

How does the social form of conformism manifest itself?

Social conformity is an uncritical change in one's own perception of the world in order to conform to the norms established by society. Such a model of behavior does not imply resistance to mass standardization, despite the fact that the individual may not internally accept such attitudes. The vast majority of people calmly perceive economic and socio-political changes, without trying to express their own dissatisfaction with the current situation.

The phenomenon of conformism has certain pros and cons. Among the advantages of this model of behavior, it is worth noting the small amount of time required to adapt to new conditions. In addition, conformity simplifies the organization of joint activities of a group of people. Such a team shows strong cohesion under the influence of stressful situations, which helps to find a solution to the problem within a short period of time.

Internal conformism is a real change in internal views and behavior as a result of accepting the position of the majority of group members

It is important to mention that the phenomenon of conformity has certain disadvantages:

1. Loss of the ability to independently make various decisions.
2. High risk of developing sectarian groups, as well as carrying out massacres and genocide.
3. The emergence of prejudice against various minorities.
4. A significant decrease in the opportunity to develop in the creative field, which is reflected in the contribution to the cultural and scientific life of society.

Conclusion

A person belonging to certain social groups is forced to comply with the rules and norms that have developed in it.

Standardized behavior and conformity have a close relationship, which is confirmed by various life examples. The examples of conformity from life given below have both positive and negative refusal, since societal pressure on making important decisions can have disastrous consequences.

One example of the negative impact of the phenomenon of conformity on society is the situation when the vast majority of people are forced to carry out the order of their leader. Often such orders are given to achieve dubious goals, but the person cannot express his own point of view for fear of disobedience. An example of such a situation is the punitive detachments of the fascists, who during the Second World War destroyed many innocent people.

The phenomenon of conformity also occurs in the everyday life of every person. The creation of a social unit is one of the most striking examples of conformism in people's lives. Starting a family means giving up your own point of view in order to reach a compromise. Otherwise, lack of mutual understanding can lead to discord in people's lives, which will end in divorce.

Even ancient philosophers believed that a person, living in society, cannot be independent of it. Throughout his life, an individual has various connections with other people (indirect or direct). He affects others or is himself exposed to them. It often happens that a person can change his opinion or behavior under the influence of society and agrees with someone else’s point of view. This behavior is explained by the ability to conform.

Conformity is an adaptation, as well as passive agreement with the order of things, with the opinions and views that exist in a certain society where the individual is located. This is unconditional adherence to some models that have the greatest pressure (recognized authority, traditions, the opinion of the majority of people, etc.), lack of one’s own point of view on any issues. This term translated from Latin (conformis) means “conforming, similar.”

Research on Conformity

Muzafer Sherif in 1937 studied the emergence of group norms in laboratory conditions. There was a screen in a dark room on which a point source of light appeared, then it moved chaotically for several seconds and then disappeared. The person undergoing the test had to notice how far the light source had moved compared to when it first appeared. At the beginning of the experiment, the subjects went through it alone and independently tried to answer the question posed. However, at the second stage, three people were already in a dark room, and they gave an answer in agreement. It was observed that people changed their minds regarding the average group norm. And at further stages of the experiment, they sought to continue to adhere to this very norm. Thus, Sheriff was the first to prove with the help of his experiment that people tend to agree with the opinions of others and often trust the judgments and views of strangers, to the detriment of their own.

Solomon Asch introduced the concept of conformity in 1956 and announced the results of his experiments, which involved a dummy group and one naive subject. A group of 7 people took part in an experiment that was aimed at studying the perception of the length of segments. During it, it was necessary to indicate one of the three segments that was drawn on the poster, corresponding to the standard. During the first stage, the dummy subjects, one at a time, almost always gave the correct answer. At the second stage, the whole group gathered together. And the dummy members deliberately gave the wrong answer, but the naive subject was unaware of this. With a categorical opinion, all dummy participants in the experiment exerted strong pressure on the subject’s opinion. Judging by Asch's data, about 37% of all those who passed the test still listened to the wrong opinion of the group and thereby showed conformity.

Subsequently, Asch and his students organized many more experiments, varying the material presented for perception. Richard Crutchwild, for example, proposed estimating the area of ​​a circle and a star, while inciting a dummy group to claim that the first was smaller than the second, although the star was equal in diameter to the circle. Despite such an extraordinary experience, people were found who showed conformity. We can safely say that in each of their experiments, Sherif, Asch, and Crutchvild did not use harsh coercion, there were no punishments for opposing the group’s opinions or rewards for agreeing with the group’s views. However, people voluntarily joined the opinions of the majority and thereby showed conformity.

Conditions for the emergence of conformism

S. Milgram and E. Aronson believe that conformity is a phenomenon that, to a greater or lesser extent, occurs in the presence or absence of the following conditions:

It increases if the task to be completed is quite complex, or the subject is incompetent in this matter;

Group size: the degree of conformity becomes greatest when a person is faced with the same opinion of three or more people;

Personality type: a person with low self-esteem is more susceptible to the influence of the group, in contrast to a person with high self-esteem;

Composition of the group: if there are experts, its members are significant people, and if it contains people belonging to the same social environment, then conformity increases;

Cohesion: the more cohesive a group is, the more power it has over its members;

Having an ally: if a person who defends his opinion or doubts the opinions of others has at least one ally, then the tendency to submit to group pressure decreases;

Public answer: a person is more susceptible to conformity when he has to speak in front of others than when he writes down his answers in a notebook; If an opinion is expressed publicly, then, as a rule, they try to stick to it.

Types of behavior associated with conformity

According to S. Asch, conformism is a person’s refusal of views that are significant and dear to him in order to optimize the adaptation process in a group; it is not just any alignment of opinions. Conformal behavior, or conformism, shows the degree to which an individual submits to the pressure of the majority, his acceptance of a certain stereotype of behavior, standard, value orientations of the group, norms, and values. The opposite of this is independent behavior, which is resistant to group pressure. There are four types of behavior towards it:

1. External conformism is a phenomenon when a person accepts the norms and opinions of a group only externally, but internally, at the level of self-awareness, he does not agree with it, but does not say so out loud. In general, this is true conformism. This type of behavior is characteristic of a person adapting to a group.

2. Internal conformity occurs when a person actually assimilates the opinion of the majority and agrees with it completely. This reveals a high level of suggestibility of the individual. This type is adaptable to the group.

3. Negativism manifests itself when a person resists group opinion in every possible way, very actively tries to defend his views, shows his independence, proves, argues, strives for his opinion to eventually become the opinion of the entire group, does not hide this desire. This type of behavior indicates that the individual does not want to adapt to the majority, but strives to adapt them to himself.

4. Nonconformism is independence of norms, judgments, values, independence, and non-susceptibility to group pressure. This type of behavior is characteristic of a self-sufficient person, when the opinion does not change due to the pressure of the majority and is not imposed on other people.

Modern studies of conformity make it the object of study of four sciences: psychology, sociology, philosophy and political science. Therefore, there is a need to separate it as a phenomenon in the social sphere and conformal behavior as a psychological feature of a person.

Conformism and psychology

Conformism in psychology is the individual’s compliance with imaginary or real group pressure. With this behavior, a person changes personal attitudes and behavior in accordance with the position of the majority, although he did not previously share it. The individual voluntarily gives up his own opinion. Conformism in psychology is also a person’s unconditional agreement with the position of the people around him, regardless of how consistent it is with his own feelings and ideas, accepted norms, moral and ethical rules and logic.

Conformism and sociology

Conformism in sociology is the passive acceptance of the social order that already exists, the opinions prevailing in society, etc. It is necessary to distinguish from it other manifestations of uniformity in opinions, views, judgments that can be formed in the process of socialization of the individual, as well as change views due to convincing argumentation. Conformism in sociology is the adoption by a person of a certain opinion under pressure, “under pressure” from a group or society as a whole. It is explained by the fear of any sanctions or the reluctance to be left alone. When studying conformist behavior in a group, it turned out that about one third of all people tend to exhibit similar behavior, that is, they subordinate their behavior to the opinion of the entire group.

Conformism and philosophy

Conformism in philosophy is a widespread form of behavior in modern society, its protective form. In contrast to collectivism, which presupposes the participation of the individual in the development of group decisions, the conscious assimilation of the values ​​of the group, the correlation of one’s behavior with the interests of the entire society, the team and, if necessary, subordination to the latter, conformism is the absence of one’s own position, uncritical and unprincipled adherence to any model , which has the greatest pressure force.

The person who uses it completely assimilates the type of personality that is offered to him, ceases to be himself, and completely becomes like others, as the rest of the group or society as a whole expects him to be. Philosophers believe that this helps the individual not to feel lonely and anxious, although he has to pay for this with the loss of his “I”.

Conformism and political science

Political conformism is a psychological attitude and behavior that represents adaptive adherence to norms that were previously accepted in society or a group. Typically, people are not always inclined to follow social norms, only because they accept the values ​​that underlie these very norms (law-abidingness). Most often, some individuals, and sometimes even the majority, follow them out of pragmatic expediency or out of fear of negative sanctions being applied to them (this is conformism in the negative, narrow sense).

Thus, conformism in politics is a method of political opportunism as passive acceptance of existing orders, as blind imitation of stereotypes of political behavior dominant in society, as the absence of one’s own positions.

Social conformism

Social conformism is the uncritical perception and adherence to the opinions that dominate society, mass standards, stereotypes, authoritative principles, traditions and attitudes. A person does not try to resist prevailing trends, even though internally he does not accept them. The individual perceives economic and socio-political reality without any criticism and does not express any desire to express his own opinion. Social conformism is the refusal to take personal responsibility for actions taken, blind submission and adherence to the instructions and demands that come from society, party, state, religious organization, family, leader, etc. Such submission can be explained by traditions or mentality.

Pros and cons of conformity

There are positive features of conformity, among which are the following:

Strong team cohesion, especially in crisis situations, helps to cope with them more successfully.

Organizing joint activities becomes easier.

The time it takes for a new person to adapt to a team is reduced.

However, conformism is a phenomenon that also carries negative aspects:

A person loses the ability to independently make any decisions and navigate in unusual conditions.

Conformism contributes to the development of totalitarian sects and states, carrying out mass genocides and murders.

There is a development of various prejudices and prejudices against the minority.

Personal conformity reduces the ability to make significant contributions to science or culture, as creative and original thought is eradicated.

Conformism and the state

Conformity is a phenomenon that plays an important role, being one of the mechanisms responsible for making group decisions. It is known that any social group has a degree of tolerance that relates to the behavior of its members. Each of them can deviate from accepted norms, but up to a certain limit, without undermining his position or damaging the sense of common unity.

The state is interested in not losing control over the population, so it has a positive attitude towards this phenomenon. This is why conformism in society is very often cultivated and instilled by the dominant ideology, educational system, media, and propaganda services. States with totalitarian regimes are primarily predisposed to this. Nevertheless, in the “free world”, in which individualism is cultivated, stereotypical thinking and perception are also the norm. Society tries to impose standards and a lifestyle on its members. In the context of globalization, conformism acts as a stereotype of consciousness, embodied in the common phrase: “This is how the whole world lives.”

Conformism in relationships between group members it manifests itself in the form of so-called social influence on a person.

The group puts pressure on a person, requiring him to follow group norms, rules, demanding submission to the interests of the group. A person can resist this pressure, that is, be nonconformist, or may yield to the group - submit, i.e. act as a conformist.

It is impossible to say unequivocally that one type of relationship between a person and a group is correct and another is not. Obviously, conformity can lead to the fact that a person, even realizing the wrongness of his actions, carries them out because the group does it. At the same time, it is obvious that without conformity a cohesive group cannot be created, and a balance cannot be established in the relationship between a person and a group. If a person takes rigid nonconformist positions, then he will not be able to become a full-fledged member of the group and, at a certain point between him and the group, is forced to leave it.

Since conformity in a person’s relationship with a group, on the one hand, is a condition for the integration of the individual into the group, and on the other hand, can give rise to negative consequences both for the environment and for the group as a whole and this individual in particular, it is important to find out what factors and to what extent require a group member to make concessions to social influence.

Nature of the tasks to be solved has a significant impact on the degree of conformity in human behavior. If tasks not clearly defined, if they do not have a clear answer, then they force a person executing them, more be influenced by the group.

Characteristics of the group also has a great influence on the development of a person’s conformity in relation to the requirements of the group. Unanimity in group behavior increases the degree of influence of the group on the individual. It is easier for a person to object or disagree if someone else in the group has a different opinion from the group. Conformity in a person's behavior in a group is influenced by the number of group members. If there are five people in a group, then unanimity has a strong influence on the individual. Further growth in the number of group members has little effect on increasing the influence of the group on the individual.

The desire to submit to influence from the group directly depends on the personal relationships between group members, their likes and dislikes, friendship, etc. The better the personal relationships between members, the higher the degree of conformity in their behavior in the group and the higher the degree of conformity in their behavior in the group and the higher the possibility of social influence on group members.

Conformism - subordination to the group

The influence that social groups have on the behavior of individuals is not a random factor. It is based on serious socio-psychological premises. In a special experiment by an American sociologist Solomon Ash The task was to find out the nature of the influence of a peer group on its member. The psychologist used the dummy group method, which consisted in the fact that the group members - six people of both sexes - gave deliberately incorrect answers to the experimenter’s questions (which the experimenter agreed with them in advance). The last, seventh member of this group, was not aware of this circumstance and played the role of a subject in this experiment.

Initially, the experimenter's question was addressed to the first six members of the group, then to the subject. The questions concerned the relative lengths of various segments, which were asked to be compared with each other. The picture shown to the group members showed three segments, two of the segments were the same length, and the third was shorter than the other two (not by much, but quite distinguishable). The participants in the experiment (six group members), by agreement with the experimenter, argued (despite the obvious difference in the length of the segments) that the segments were equal to each other.

Thus, the subject was experimentally placed in conditions of conflict arising between his perception of reality (the length of the segments) and the assessment of the same reality by those around him, members of his social group, before a difficult choice. Unaware of the “conspiracy” of the experimenter with his group comrades, with whom he had close relationships, he had to either refute the group’s opinion, actually speak out against it, oppose himself in such a situation to the whole group, or not believe himself, his perception of that what he sees, and his own assessment of what he saw. It turned out that a significant percentage of the “victims” of such an experiment preferred “not to believe their eyes,” but not to oppose their opinion to the opinion of the group.

This kind of agreement by the subject with clearly incorrect estimates of the lengths of segments, which were given in front of him by other group members, was considered as a criterion for the subject’s subordination to the group, subordination, denoted by the concept conformism. Conformism is an individual’s subordination to the opinion of the majority, unconditional agreement with the position of others, regardless of whether this corresponds to the assessment of the person himself, rejection of one’s own opinion, acceptance of the position of a social group, regardless of whether such a position corresponds to one’s feelings, logic, accepted norms or moral and ethical standards .

In an experiment by Russian psychologist A.P. Sopikov, students of both sexes aged 7 to 18 years were examined. During the experiment, group members and the subject were selected from the same class. The experimenter's conclusions were as follows: a) there is a clear fact of group pressure (it affected the behavior of 550 people); b) all people are conformal to one degree or another (submit to the group’s dictates); c) conformism is a fundamental socio-psychological phenomenon that does not disappear if one wants to free oneself from it; d) conformity in complex issues is higher than in simple ones; k) conformity among people varies depending on the type of their regular occupation; c) with age, conformity decreases and becomes constant for a given person from 15-16 years of age.

Consequently, a social group, firstly, is the bearer of social values, including certain norms of behavior, and, secondly, serves as a source of coercive influence aimed at ensuring compliance of the behavior of group members with these norms.

Coercive influence can often (in cases of direct communication) be associated with the so-called the effect of suggestion. It has been experimentally proven that suggestion directed at a member of a team far exceeds the impact on a relatively isolated individual. In the first case, the individual is influenced not only by the original source of suggestion (for example, the leader), but also by each member of the group. Therefore, the opinion of the group has more power than the opinion of its individual members. Several people united in a group, acting together, collectively exert an influence on the individual concerned. much greater impact than in cases where the same people try to influence such an individual, acting in isolation, one by one.

The following two fundamental points predetermine conformity as an individual’s reaction to the influence of a group:

normative influence of the group: submission to its norms, fear of being rejected by the group, losing its support, the desire to earn the approval of the group, fear of being expelled, becoming a stranger, etc. Conformity increases with increasing intensity of intra-group connections;

informational influence: the desire, in conditions of non-obviousness, uncertainty of the situation, to rely on the opinion of others who presumably have more reliable information. The higher the conformity, the more complex, the more ambiguous and uncertain the situation assessed by a person.

Conformity and the level of moral maturity

The fact that conforming behavior does not represent the highest form of social command is confirmed in the socio-psychological experiment of the American researcher L. Kohlberg.

The experimenter previously identified and formulated six stages in a person’s achievement of moral maturity:

• the first stage - the individual’s behavior is determined by obedience and the desire to avoid suffering;
• second stage - the individual focuses on satisfying his own physical needs;
• third stage - the individual’s behavior is derived from the role he performs in interpersonal relationships and is associated with the desire to earn the approval of those people with whom he is connected by these relationships (conformism);
• fourth stage - the individual seeks to strengthen the power of the group, to establish group rules;
• fifth stage - a person seeks to strengthen social norms, public responsibilities and individual rights;
• sixth - the highest level of moral maturity - the individual is guided by the universal principles of conscience and social ideals.

After identifying the signs by which these levels of moral maturity can be distinguished, the researcher, using a special technique, identified two polar groups of adolescents: one with the highest, the other with the lowest level of moral maturity. The experimenter then instructed each of the teenagers from both groups to turn on an electric current, ostensibly connected to one of the teenagers. From the conditions of the experiment, it was clear that the electric shock must be clearly painful for the teenager “connected” to the wire - the “victim” of the experiment. (In fact, the current was not turned on and the “victim” was in cahoots with the experimenter, simulating acute pain.)

Of the group of morally mature adolescents, almost two-thirds (76%) refused to carry out this instruction from the experimenter (to hurt their friend), i.e. showed not conformal, but morally oriented behavior. Of those who were morally immature, only 13% of teenagers refused to do it. In other words, the higher a person’s moral maturity, the lower the degree of his conformity. At the same time, it was experimentally confirmed that a high degree of personality conformity is more characteristic of individuals with a relatively low level of moral maturity and, on the other hand, that as the level of morality of individuals increases, the elements of conformity in their behavior decrease.

Degree of conformity

The norms of a certain group represent only one of the interacting elements of the “person-group” system. Other interacting elements include the social situation in which the individual finds himself. The latter, in turn, is associated with his belonging to a particular social community and depends on the specific characteristics of this community. The degree of conformity in a person’s behavior within a social group depends on two main factors: 1) the basis that predetermines the individual’s inclusion in the social group; 2) a socio-psychological mechanism operating in a group, which influences the behavior of all members.

As a general principle, it can be stated that the stronger an individual’s desire identify himself with a social group, the more conformal his behavior is, i.e., the more his behavior is subject to the norms and rules of behavior that are actually embodied in the behavior of members of this group. The degree of conformity of behavior also depends on the extent to which such behavior is rewarded by the group or the extent to which non-conforming behavior is condemned and punished.

In turn, the reaction of a social group to deviations in the behavior of its members from the norms shared by this group depends on both internal (for this group) and external factors. Internal factors include the degree of unity of the group, the degree of unity of the positions, views, and attitudes shared by its members. An important factor is also the importance of compliance with one or another norm in the behavior of group members for the existence of the group itself. The group exerts the greater pressure, subordinating the behavior of its members to certain norms, the more important such norms are for the preservation of the group, for the protection of its collective interests. The higher the degree of unity of views and positions of group members, the higher the likelihood of identifying deviant behavior and the more often conformal behavior is rewarded.

Different social groups require different types of behavior from their members - more conforming or less subject to group norms. Primary groups - a family, a close group of constantly communicating people, etc. - are usually not satisfied with external conformism, that is, formal observance of certain norms of behavior.

Primary groups, within which there is constant and intensive interaction, are characterized by the desire to ensure complete unity of opinions, positions, and socio-psychological values. This is not accidental, since this kind of maximum conformity is vital for the functioning of these groups, and discord in their activities most often begins with a separation of values, i.e., the appearance of different assessments, positions, and opinions among different members of such a group. This may be the source of conflict and the emergence of behavioral deviations.

Each social group has a certain degree of tolerance regarding the behavior of its members, and each member of such a group allows himself a certain degree of deviation from the norms of the group, which, however, does not undermine the individual’s position as a member of the group or damage his sense of unity with the group. Conflicts in the relationships between group members can arise precisely because one of them crosses the boundaries of a tolerant attitude.

Deindividuation

A significant negative result of the influence produced by a group on its member is the effect of depersonalization (deindividualization). Depersonalization manifests itself in a person’s loss of awareness of himself as an autonomous, independent person, refusal to independently evaluate his actions. In turn, the effect of depersonalization is arbitrary from the process of social multiplication of the intensity of behavior of individuals occurring in a group (thus, the simultaneous effort of several individuals acting together is much higher than the simple addition of the force that each of them would have shown acting alone), and also a significant erosion of individual responsibility (“everyone did it”).

The overall consequence of such processes is the possibility of individuals in a group committing actions that are unlikely or seemingly impossible for the same individuals to perform alone. The social significance of the effect of deindividuation, depersonalization, the individual’s loss of consciousness of his autonomy, the loss of the ability to act in spite of everything is clear.

The social multiplication of the intensity of behavior is associated with an experimentally confirmed phenomenon: the simultaneous performance of joint actions (or simply the presence of other persons involved in a given situation) increases emotional arousal, ensures mutual contagion of mood, and mutually strengthens the desire to achieve a result. In such conditions, the sense of personal responsibility is also lost, which opens the way for acts of extreme cruelty, group vandalism, violence and other forms of aggressive behavior. The individual loses himself, dissolves in group emotions and a sense of group irresponsibility.

Conforming behavior when ordered

A special type of conformist behavior is the automatic submission of a person to the command of a person who has (in the opinion of such a person) authority.

It has been experimentally proven that in a significant percentage of cases people are able to cause pain, suffering, and even encroach on the life of another, solely guided by their idea that the one giving such an order has the right to do so. At the same time, a person’s own assessment of the content of such an order is eliminated, as are such restraining motives as a feeling of pity, moral requirements, etc. In an experiment by an American researcher Subjects were asked to train another person to memorize a list of paired words. If the answer was incorrect, the subjects were asked to first subject such person to a weak electric shock. If the answer was repeated incorrectly, each time the strength of the electric shock was proposed to be increased. In fact, there was no electric current, the “trainee” was the experimenter’s assistant, and each time he only depicted the suffering allegedly caused by the electric shock. The shock intensity scale ranged from mild to strong to very strong (15 to 450 volts). The “trainee” first moaned, then screamed, demanded to stop the experiment, and then, with a very strong blow, fell silent. But this did not stop the subjects. In Milgram's experiment, 63% of subjects showed automatic submission to the authority of the experimenter, up to the point of inflicting a 450-volt electric shock on the “trainee.” At the same time, the subjects themselves were in no way dependent on the experimenter; at any moment they could freely refuse to continue the experiment. Submission to authority in such an experiment simulated the picture of conformist criminal behavior, committing a crime on orders.