Conformity

1. Conformity is defined as the tendency to change our perceptions, opinions, and behaviors in ways that are consistent with group norms.
Compliance is defined as the changes in behavior that are elicited by direct requests.
Obediance is defined as the behavior change produced by the commands of authority.
(All definitions courtesy of our textbook, Social Psychology)
Conformity is a change on how we view things and our opinion on those things and how we modify our behavior to be consistant with our new views. Complience is when we change our behavior as a responses to some one directly saying we need to change it. Usually we change our behavior because its just not worth it to fight authority over it. Obedience is the change in the behavior because of the authority that requests us to.
2. The factors of conformity:
     Group Size: The larger the group the harder it is to have a different opinion. If the majority of the group believe than more often than not a person will conform to their beliefs.
     Awareness of the Norms: Conformity usually only happens when a person knows about and focuses on the social norm. Often they mispercieve what is the norm.
     Having an Ally: Having an ally reduces the need to conform. When you are not alone in your beliefs it is easier to stand up for them. The pressure is less when you aren't the only one being urged to conform.
    Age/ Gender: According to our book women conform more than men. Also though gender may not be the reason for the conformity, that it may be due to the subject matter. Publicly women tend to conform more than men, this may be due to not wanting a public confrontation.
Conformity is different in different cultures. There are several variables of conformity in a society, these include the complexity of the society, the affluence of the society, and the heterogenity of the society.
3. The social impact theory  is the social influence depends on the strenght, immediacy, and number of source persons relative to target persons.  The credibility of  a source has a lot to determine a sources strength in their message to those not like them. The relavance of the cause determines the immediacy to make a decison to conform to the group. Also the larger the number of credible persons in a group the easier they can sway a person. This theory basically is the driving force behind many cult groups. They get strength in numbers and convince non group members that they are defying an almighty power if they do not coform.

When i think of conformity I do tend to think more towards negativity than toward any thing positive. Even though many do not like it everyone conforms in one way or another, just doing what your friends do is conforming to how they want to do things or what they think is right.

                                         THESE ARE THE FACES OF EXTREME CONFORMITY!!!!!!!!
                                           THEIR MESSAGE MUST HAVE BEEN POWERFUL!!!!
                                               WOULD YOU FOLLOW THEM!!!!!!!