Sociology Discussion

Conformity is a social influence that pushes people to align with the behaviors, attitudes, and views of a group and is underlined by the need to belong. Individuals sometimes strive to conform to the social groups whose approval they desire. Conformity remains a powerful force in the society: Sociology Discussion.

Kim et al. (2021) note that everyone who interacts with society must, in one way or another, conform to it. Conformity, in this regard, is a tool that shapes decision-making processes and can influence group and community cohesion, public opinion, and status.

The need for social acceptance is something I have sometimes struggled with. An example of a scenario in which I experienced conformity was when the social media platform TikTok was gaining storm in the country. Initially, I was opposed to the platform as I preferred traditional platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.

However, everyone in my social cycle would soon install the applications and remain hooked, forcing me to bow to the pressure and download it. The scenario highlighted the power of social influences in individual decision-making processes.

In several instances, the urge to conform to presenting social situations has underlined my decision-making processes. Examples of situations that have compelled my response due to the need to conform are when there are discussions around the NBA, fashion, and music trends within my social cycles.

As a basketball lover, I always feel compelled to contribute to discussions on some of the notable NBA players, including debates on the greatest of all-time players, just to demonstrate my knowledge of the sport and align with the group. This has also been the case in discussions around trendy fashions and music. To conform to the group, contributing to the discourses surrounding fashion events and music always accords with some sense of belonging to the group.

Conformity may sometimes pose some risks to normative social interactions and group dynamics. Foremost, conformity may result in a groupthink effect. This is the case when people within a social group prioritize group harmony and decisions over independent thinking. Groupthink effects may result in diminished creativity and innovation.

Discrimination and prejudice are other negative effects of conformity which arise when people conform to discriminatory attitudes and beliefs. Loss of individuality is another negative consequence of conformity. It occurs when group members suppress their thoughts, opinions, or ideas to align with those of the group.

Loss of individuality may fail to address important societal issues. Conformity may also result in ethical dilemmas. This is the case when the manifesting group behavior, opinion, or attitudes have ethical ramifications. Group members, in this respect, may feel pressured to choose whether to conform to unethical group behaviors (Panizza et al., 2021).

Information about individuals and groups related to race, gender, socioeconomic class, and other social or cultural identities can be obtained from diverse sources. Information on race and gender can be obtained from online sources, such as census reports. The U.S. Census Bureau is an online public site that details all demographic parameters of Americans. This information can be located via a simple search on the website.

Likewise, normative cultural practices and group dynamics specific to some races can be obtained online from sources such as Science Direct. Such sources utilize scientific research to document population characteristics such as socioeconomic class, the nexus between demographic parameters such as age and disease processes and wellness, and the normative culture of various races and groups. With technological advances in information technology, several artificial intelligence tools, such as Chat GPT and Google Gemini, can also be leveraged to access information related to race, gender, and socioeconomic class.

These tools filter various web sources and extract information related to specific races or social groups. Information on disability can also be obtained from census reports. Through public web sources, such as The US Department of State, one can locate information on Americans with disability. This includes the number of persons with disability, government initiatives for persons with disability, and groups working to alleviate suffering among Americans with disability.

Individuals and groups play a role in challenging stereotypes related to race, gender, socioeconomic class, and disability. Several strategies can be used to expand understanding of racial, gender, disability, and socioeconomic stereotypes. These include self-education on various stereotypes, engaging people from these groups to understand their perceptions and worldviews, and exploring histories of various stereotypes to understand the root cause.

These educational approaches may expand one’s understanding of the stereotypes and enhance one’s capacity to handle them. They can also help demystify underlying assumptions that contribute to the stereotypes. They may also promote deeper recognition of the role of power and group dynamics in stereotypes (Ward & Grower, 2020). This underlines their significance.

As an advocate for positive social change within society, I play an important role in challenging various stereotypes. First, it is necessary to recognize one’s biases and stereotypes. This will foster motivation and a sense of self-awareness necessary in combating stereotypes. Self-education on various stereotypes can also help challenge apparent stereotypes.

Engagements with diverse groups on various stereotypes may also help demystify assumptions underlining some stereotypes. Likewise, as supported by Ward & Grower, (2020), speaking up about stereotypical behaviors and attitudes challenges apparent stereotypes within society.

References

Kim, D., Kim, J., & Kim, H. (2021). Increased conformity to social hierarchy under Public eyes. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.636801

Panizza, F., Vostroknutov, A., & Coricelli, G. (2021). How conformity can lead to polarised social behaviour. PLOS Computational Biology, 17(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009530

Ward, L. M., & Grower, P. (2020). Media and the development of gender role stereotypes. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 177–199. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-051120-010630

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Write a reflective discussion post in a narrative style with a minimum of 750 words, using the questions below to guide your reflections.
Discuss the intersections between conformity and diversity. Is it necessary to ignore the issues of diversity in order to conform and be inclusive in group settings?

Consider these questions as you formulate your response. It is not necessary for you to copy these questions or to answer all of these questions in your discussion post. These are meant to guide your discussion as needed.

• What is conformity? Give an example of a direct experience in which you have experienced conformity.
• In which situation(s) have you felt compelled to respond in a social setting due to your need to conform?
• What are the dangers of conformity?
• Where do you get information about individuals and groups related to race, gender, socioeconomic class, disability, and other social or cultural identities?
• What is your role in challenging these stereotypes or providing fuller understandings of these stereotypes?