Conformity and obedience are forms of social influence, one of the subfields wit
ID: 94327 • Letter: C
Question
Conformity and obedience are forms of social influence, one of the subfields within social psychology. Conformity research addresses the influence the group majority has on individual and group behavior. Sherif and Asch conducted seminal studies on conformity. These researchers and others provide a clear picture of the influence of a group majority on the individual and factors that influence conformity. Research also provides insights into how a minority can influence a group (Fiske, 2014).
For this Discussion, review this week’s media program, Week 6: The Virtual Office. Consider how
Conformity occurred in the virtual office and describes the conditions that led to conformity.
With these thoughts in mind:
1. A brief description of two conditions in the media that led to conformity and explain why.
Using the current literature, explain one way to alter the conditions in the scenario to prevent conformity.
Finally, provide an example where conformity might be good and explain why.
Media Reference
(Interior of the office. Carter and Teresa are talking near the coffee pot.)
CARTER: So how's the job treating you now that you have three months under your belt?
TERESA: I really like it. The hours have been great so far, and working with cardboard has been really fascinating and informative.
CARTER: I know, right? Sometimes it feels too good to be true.
(Jeannette walks toward Carter and Teresa.)
JEANETTE: Morning guys, how's it going?
CARTER: Can't complain, really.
TERESA: Just another Monday.
JEANETTE: Well, here's a bit of news to perk you up. The big boss has asked you, Teresa, to join Carter here, Brian, and myself on our client's specialty subcommittee.
TERESA: Wow, really? What does that even entail?
JEANETTE: Well the three of us have been on this group for a little over a year now. And we basically just brainstorm new client strategies to bring in new ones, and retain our good ones. But of course when I say, "we," I mean Carter and me.
TERESA: Oh?
CARTER: Yeah, have you had much interaction with Brian?
TERESA: Only in passing really. We haven't done any projects together.
JEANETTE: Well you'll see soon enough, that even when you are on a project with him it still feels like “in passing. “
CARTER: He's what you might call "unmotivated," never comes up with ideas, never volunteers to take charge. He's basically dead weight.
TERESA: Well I guess now that you mention it, I have walked passed his desk fairly often and seen him looking at a lot of non-work-related websites.
JEANETTE: Exactly. That's all he ever does. And yet, somehow, he's a notch above us on the totem pole. I've been here for five years and I could really do a lot from his position. It's just not right.
CARTER: That's true. He's really become dead weight lately. I hear he isn't helping his group at all in the packaging presentation to the board either. It's embarrassing. I mean, I know the three of us are constantly embracing the clearly stated company work culture that promotes focused and hard work, whereas he's only promoting slacking. Frankly, I think it's infuriating.
JEANETTE: That is so not fair. Maybe the three of us should all go into the boss's office and say, "Listen, we don't think Brian is pulling his weight anymore. Maybe it's time for change," and then we can just list off everything we've noticed.
CARTER: Absolutely.
TERESA: I don't know if it'd be right for me. I'm still pretty new, and haven't really had much interaction with him.
JEANETTE: Oh no, it's fine. You've seen enough, and it'll definitely sound better coming from all three of us, right?
CARTER: I think so too. It's been a long time coming. Should I set up a meeting with the boss this afternoon? Teresa, are you free around four?
TERESA: Umm, yeah, sure. I can definitely be there.
JEANETTE: Perfect. This is going to be such a relief.
(Brian walks into the break room.)
BRIAN: Morning guys.
JEANETTE, CARTER, and TERESA: Morning Brian.
(Carter, Teresa, and Jeanette turn and walk out of the break room.)
(Onscreen Text: Multiple conditions can lead to conformity. Post a brief description of two conditions in the virtual office which led to conformity to occur and why.)
Explanation / Answer
As you know, Conformity and Obedience are forms of social influence. Social Influence is when a person's behaviour, opinions and emotions are affected by other people.
Conformity is when an individual changes his attitude and behaviour to match the attitude and behaviour of other people.
Obedience is when a person changes his attitude or behaviour to fit in with other people. But the difference between obedience and conformity is that, obedience has to do more with the level of authority of the person who is trying to influence an individual. If a person in charge or an authoritarian type is trying to persuade an individual, he is more likely to comply by the requests made by any one he sees above him.
The two conditions that led to conformity:
1. Jeanette and Carter have been working for a company for longer than Teresa has. Jeanette and Carter were miffed with Brian for reasons but Teresa knew little of him. But when Teresa noticed that Jeanette and Carter were maliciously talking about Brian, she felt the need to conform to whatever the other two had to say because she felt that if she did not do so, then Jeanette and Carter would view of her differently and may not hangout with her again and thus she said, "Well I guess now that you mention it, I have walked passed his desk fairly often and seen him looking at a lot of non-work-related websites". I reckon, once in a while at work people do tend to check out their personal mails or other non-related stuff. Everybody does it. But she brought it up in between the conversation because doing so, she was matching upto the attitude of others.
2. When Jeanette and Carter spoke about three of them talking to their boss about "Brian not pulling his weight any longer" and that they need a "change", Teresa mentioned that, " I don't know if it'd be right for me. I'm still pretty new, and haven't really had much interaction with him". She was clear on her stance that she talking about Brian makes no sense as she is still very new, she barely knows him and most importantly, she has never worked with him on a project. But when asked by Carter if she is free around four, so they all could go and speak to their boss, she conformed to them and said she'll be there. Teresa couldn't refuse because if she did, Jeanette and Carter would think of her differently, she conformed because that was the only way she could work with Jeanette and Carter in peace in the future else she would have been ostracised from their company or group.
The only way to prevent conformity is by individuals staying true to themselves. If in the above scenario, Teresa stood by her decision to not talk to the boss about Brian,given that she barely knows him and has never worked with him, she would have not fallen prey to conformity.
Conformity might be good in only certain situations. Conformity may be good when you visit someone for dinner and the food is really bad but you conform to a person who said, "Hey, the meatball and spaghetti are the best I've ever had". Even if you don't mean it, it's good to conform because if you didn't you could hurt your host's feelings and it is not right to hurt anybody intentionally.
Hope it was of help to you!