Conformity

• Culture


  set of ideas, beliefs, attitudes and traditions that we share with large groups of people and gives us a sense of identity
• cultural norms


  these are the rules which indicate the expected behaviour in a group
• what are the 2 types of culture

  surface culture and deep culture
• surface culture


  Part of culture that can be seen: Language, clothing, food, customs, and art.
• Deep Culture


  Below the surface are the more meaningful and powerful aspects of culture
• what is cultural dimensions

  how the values of a society effect behaviour and describes the trends of behaviour in a given culture
• What did Hofstede do?


  carried out an experiment in multiple countries asking employees to fill out surveys about morale in the workplace
• what are the 6 dimensions

  power distance index; individualism v collectivism; uncertainty avoidance index; long v short term orientation; masculinity v femininity; indulgence v restraint
• power distance index


  the extent to which a culture respects authority and status
• Uncertainty avoidance index


  a society's tolerance for ambiguity - open to change
• long-term/short-term orientation

  the connection to the past and attitude towards the future
• long term


  more focus on future
• short term


  traditions are kept
• masculinity vs femininity

  masculine societies are defined by focus on achievement, competition and wealth whilst feminine societies focus on cooperation, relationships and quality of life
• indulgence vs. restraint orientation

  indulgent cultures allow people to enjoy life and have fun, restrained cultures have stricter control through strict social norms
• What is conformity?


  adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard
• normative social influence


  when people conform to group social norms when they want to be included in the group, to feel that they belong
• information social influence


  when people conform to group social norms because they believe that the group is better informed than they are
• how can you argue that conformity is good

  helps people to agree, work together and form cohesive attitudes, beliefs and behaviours
• how can you argue that conformity is bad

  it prevents people from acting according to their innermost beliefs