Conformity
CONFORMITY
You must read: 1. “Corn-Pone Opinions” by Mark Twain
AND
2.“What Other People Say May Change What You See” by Sandra Blakeslee in The New York Times, June 28, 2005
NOTE: Both have been downloaded on Blackboard.
Using Blakeslee’s article and Twain’s essay as your sources and points of reference, respond to ONE of the following questions and write an essay of approximately three (3) pages. Be sure to define your terms. Think about children and adults within the family unit, peer pressure, as well as conformity within institutions (e.g., religion, school, the military, sports, etc.). As always, feel free to use your experiences to enhance your answers.
For either question, remember to use the original experiment and the updated experiment (using MRIs) discussed in the Blakeslee article as a foundation for your response.
***You must include at least one quote from each source to support your response.
Please create a Title and indicate to which question you are responding.
[MORE]
Choose One:
- Mark Twain states that “We are creatures of outside influences; as a rule, we do not think, we only “imitate.”
Do you agree or disagree? Be sure to discuss the positives and negatives of conformity for individuals and the larger society. Be sure to define such terms as “imitate” and to provide examples.
NOTE: question lend itself to writing an Argumentative/Persuasive essay.
ANSWER
Conformity
Overview
Conformity is the act of aligning one’s behavior and actions with others’ influence. It entails compliance and obedience based on a group’s values, systems, and practices. Conformity can be identified as yielding to group pressures. This makes individuals adjust their beliefs and behavior to fit within a specified group. Mark Twain’s statement that “we are creatures of the outside influence” portrays how human beings conform to pressures from the external world.
Human Beings Creatures of Outside World
Human behavior and associated actions are dependent on external influence. Humans conform to pressures occurring from the external domain. They do not take their time to think about their next step or even its outcomes. They remain creatures of outside influence where the rule always guides them to imitate rather than think (Twain 2). Imitation means following a particular trend without questioning oneself. Individuals observe and copy another person’s behavior. This indicates that humanity is ready and willing to follow what the community promises without questioning. They stand with other followers to receive approval and praise. It is also vital to note that humans do not stand their ground but prefer following others. For example, when a young person sees a peer wearing trendy and provocative clothing, they imitate to fit in the class of trendy people. They abandon their fashion to incorporate this new trend. Another quality example is student realizes that others have gone to play outside during break time. They will also move out and join the others. Assessing the positive and negative effects of conformity will help individuals understand the need and implications behind their actions.
Conformity can help people abandon adverse habits and achieve a safety net. They abolish bad habits and acquire new ones capable of advancing their lives. For example, if all the gang members change their ways, the last one is also likely to adopt a similar move to fit in. The safety net element entails avoiding being on the wrong side where one is potentially prone to ill-treatment from others. Blakeslee’s (3) experiment finds that the unpleasantness of standing alone can make one align with majority opinion rather than stick to one’s belief. This makes people conform to the wishes of the majority in the group. Communities also benefit largely from conformity, where they enhance rule enforcement and achieve stability. When members conform, this is a viable chance for society to enforce its established rules and regulations. They also benefit from a stable setting as evidenced by resistance and its associated adverse outcomes. However, conformity comes with its share of dangers for individuals and the community. It does not allow people to express themselves. They are expected to follow others without questioning or breaking the rules. It also affects personal progress because humans tend to align themselves with the interests and wishes of the majority. Communities fail to achieve advanced outcomes because all persons behave in the same way.
Overall, humankind is primarily led by outside influences as far as behavior and actions are concerned. They base their decisions on the interests of the majority rather than sticking to their beliefs and values. Conformity tends to generate positive and negative outcomes for individuals and the community at large. Based on these outcomes, there is a dire need for humankind to avoid ‘imitations’ all the time and critically think about their actions. This will create a quality social environment as people’s actions are determined by autonomous decisions and not just imitating others.
Works Cited
Blakeslee, Sandra. “What Other People Say May Change What You See.” New York Times, June 28 (2005): 1-3.
Twain, Mark. “Corn-Pone Opinions.”[1901].” Europe and Elsewhere: 1-4.
