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Challenge and Change in Society HSB4M. Alienation and Conformity. ‘The Power of Conformity’. An example of people’s overwhelming needs to conform to a social paradigm What is conformity? . Discussion Questions: Video. What are the triggers to conform in this video?
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Challenge and Change in SocietyHSB4M Alienation and Conformity
‘The Power of Conformity’ • An example of people’s overwhelming needs to conform to a social paradigm • What is conformity?
Discussion Questions: Video • What are the triggers to conform in this video? • What feelings did the person in the experiment feel to make them change their behaviour? • Vote: What would you have done in this same situation?
Discussion Questions: Society • In today’s society – are there pressures to conform? In what ways? • What are the repercussions to not “conforming”? • After looking at this clip, think about how people in society would act, what would happen if everybody acted the same? • How different would life be?
Alienation • Refers to an individual separation from a community or group of people in general • This is also known as an anomie • Refers to a personal condition resulting in a lack of norms • i.e. A totalitarian society would produce an anomic individual such as Hitler
Isolation • Known as a state of seclusion • i.e. a lack of contact with people • May stem from: • Bad relationships • Deliberate choice • Contagious disease • Repulsive personal habits • Mental illness
Isolation in society • Feeling marginalized in society could force people to resist the social norm • Unrest in society could lead to isolation, not feeling included in society
Conformity • Process whereby an individual’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviours are influenced by other people • Could be the result of social pressure • People often conform to achieve a sense of security in a group of people – a feeling that makes one ‘belong’
Pressures to Conform • An unwillingness to conform could risk social rejection • An individual who is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction is a victim of social rejection. • Conformity acts as a scapegoat in order to avoid bullying and criticism from peers.
Key Questions for Today • What groups in society may feel socially isolated? • Why is this? • What groups in society are forced to conform?
Conformity in Contemporary Society • Most people conform to the standard values and norms without even realizing they are doing so • Some degree of conformity is necessary for societies to function • i.e. Stopping at a red light means that you are conforming to the law and the good and safety of society
Conformity and Youth • Pre-teens and teenagers face many issues related to conformity • Pulled between the desire to be seen as unique individuals and desire to belong to a group where they feel accepted • i.e. wearing the latest fashion, cutting your hair into a certain style, smoking, changing the type of music you listen to • All of these are examples of conforming to a social norm
Scenarios • Discuss the following questions with your group: • A) What are the triggers to conform in this scenario? • B) What feelings did the person in the situation feel to potentially make them change their behaviour? • C) What would you have done in this situation?
Discussion • Which situation would be the most easy and most difficult in terms of resisting conformity? • Why?