Why do People Conform?

Conformity refers to the pattern of adjusting our thoughts, attitudes and/or behaviours in order to fit in with the values and norms of our social group.  It is evident in persistence of traditional modes of behaviour and thinking, and is equally evident in the non-conformity of groups with the dominant culture, where members of a sub-group conform to that group’s attitudes and behaviour

There may be many different reasons why people conform.  These may include – 

• they want to be accepted by the group.
• they fear rejection by the group – known as normative social influence.
• the group gives them information – known as informational social influence.
• they want a social reward or material reward, such as votes or a pay rise.
• they admire the group and want to be like other members of the group. 

Teenagers, for instance, often resist the norms of adult society, but may be assiduous in dressing, acting, and talking like their peers, and seeming to share similar values and attitudes. One might argue that true non-conformity is essentially individual. 

Asch and other psychological researchers have found that the following factors influence conformity – 

• Group size: Group size influences whether subjects conformed. The bigger the group, the more people conformed. However, this only occurs up to a certain point, after a certain number in the group, conformity doesn’t increase any further.
• Group unanimity: Subjects are much more likely to conform when a group agreed unanimously. If even one other person in the group disagreed with the group, a subject was much less likely to conform. This was true even when the other dissenter disagreed with the subject as well as the group. 

Researchers have found that conformity also increases when:

• The person feels incompetent or insecure
• The person admires the group
• The group can see how the person behaves

Who Is This Course Suitable For?

This course is suitable for anyone wanting to learn more about psychology, such as -

• teachers
• teaching assistants
• youth workers
• counsellors
• social workers
• aged care workers
• carers
• Anyone who works with people really and wants to understand them more.
  

You can study psychology generally, or specialise in a particular area, such as biological psychology or mental health. You choose the modules that you want to study, to suit you and your interests.

The course is studied by distance learning or online, so this will also suit you if you prefer to study at a time and location to suit you.

Why Study This Course?

If you work with people or would like to, and want to understand more about the way people think, then this course is a great idea.

Gain in depth knowledge of psychological theories.

Improve your job and career prospects by demonstrating your interest in psychology and willingness to undertake further studies.