Ingratiation is a social psychological phenomenon in which individuals attempt to gain favor with others by expressing approval, agreement, and likability. Conformity, on the other hand, is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to those of a group or society. Ingratiational conformity refers to the situation where individuals conform to the norms and expectations of a group or society in order to gain approval and acceptance.
There are several ways in which individuals may engage in ingratiational conformity. One common way is through verbal agreement, in which individuals simply say that they agree with the group, even if they do not necessarily believe it. Another way is through behavioral compliance, in which individuals behave in ways that align with the group, even if it goes against their own values or beliefs.
One reason why individuals may engage in ingratiational conformity is the desire for social approval and acceptance. Being part of a group can provide individuals with a sense of belonging, security, and validation. By conforming to the group's norms and expectations, individuals may feel more accepted and included, which can be especially important in situations where the group holds a high level of social influence or power.
However, ingratiational conformity can also have negative consequences. By conforming to the group, individuals may feel pressure to suppress their own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, which can lead to a lack of authenticity and integrity. In addition, conforming to the group may involve engaging in behaviors that are unethical or harmful to others, which can have negative consequences for both the individual and the group.
Overall, ingratiational conformity is a complex social phenomenon that occurs when individuals attempt to gain favor with others by expressing approval and agreement. While it can provide individuals with a sense of belonging and acceptance, it can also have negative consequences, such as a lack of authenticity and the potential for harm to others. It is important for individuals to be aware of their own motivations for conforming and to consider the potential consequences of their actions.
Why Do People Conform?
Jones, Ingratiation: a social psychological analysis, Century Psychology Series , Meredith Publishing Company, 1964 Appelbaum, S. So, will you be wearing a purple shirt and sneakers to work tomorrow? They trust the members of their tribe, and distrust the members of a warring tribe. Social Psychology Across Cultures: Analysis and Perspectives. The person whose estimate of movement was greatly different to the other two in the group conformed to the view of the other two. Milgram found that many people would dangerously shock the other participant when they were told to by the fake doctor in the experiment, regardless of their beliefs. Rahul and Rohit had just finished theirs. Status Status is a socially defined position or rank given to groups or group members by others.
Most group pressure is covert or unconscious. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. The true naïve participant was always the last or last but one to answer. Ingratiation can be small comments or big gestures. To be clear, obedience and conformity are linked because they are similar social interactions.
Group Behaviour Model (Roles, Norms, Status, Process and Structures)
A way to make ingratiation fail is to over-do it or use it in cultures where any form of ingratiation is viewed with distaste or where authenticity is highly valued. Group cohesion is the aggregate of all the factors causing members of a group to stay in the group or be attracted to the group. Pressure from the Group to Conform Normative social influence encourages people to conform to the expectations of others. However, it is limited by the sample because it lacked representation of females and older individuals. ~This type of conformity usually involves internalization, he or she adopts the groups values and adopts them Compliance: Publicly, the person changes behavior to fit in with group, privately, she disagrees.
Understanding of Conformity as One Aspect of Social Psychology Essay Example
Social Arrangement Norms This norm is basically centered on how we should behave in social settings. We base our beliefs on those presented to us by reporters, scientists, doctors, and lawyers because we believe they have more expertise in certain fields than we have. Non-smokers, a minority, spoke up until they converted enough members to overtake the majority. He adopts the induced behavior because…. Results : Sherif found that over numerous estimates trials of the movement of light, the group converged to a common estimate. It can create unhealthy dynamics and even support harmful behaviors.
Observing others can provide this information. In a short time and without instruction, the prison guards initiated psychological abuse of the prisoners who responded by taking the abuse. Social pressure is the driving factor of conformity. In the firstseries of experiments he tested 123 naives on 12 criticaltests where 7 were going to be incorrect. If you dont confirm and behaveappropriately you are likely to be rejected by the group. The older we get, the pressure to conform grows stronger. You live within a society.
This is a positive ingratiation tactic, as "persons are likely to be attracted to those who do nice things for them. It is relative to normative influence but is encouraged by the need for social rewards rather than the threat of being rejected. For example: Team leader puts various posters in the firm to motivate employees to work efficiently and give their best performance. Notably,conformity usually involves compliance because although the person may reject certain views privately, he will publicly accept them McLeod, 2007. It is similar to normative influence, but is motivated by the need for social rewards rather than the threat of rejection, i. Generalising from its conclusions toreal life might be innacurate. This is not to say they arent criticised todayor that its conclusions are wholly acceptable now — theyshowed the application of the scientific method to socialpsychology and we used as models of how to conductpsychological research.
Social Psychology Concepts The people around you influence your personality and behaviors. All these factors when combined presents the status of members of the group. Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Zimbardo charged the prison guards with caring for the prisoners. Internalisation is where the subject comesto accept, and eventually believes in the group view. Evaluation: This is a weaknesses as the study is not reflective of the participants real life behaviour and therefore the findings from the study cannot be generalised beyond the artificial setting.
These patterns and expectations, or group norms as they're called sometimes, direct the ways team members interact with each other. Often, nonconformist ideas evolve into the new norm. It becomes the individual's frame of reference and source to derive his or her experiences, perceptions, needs, and ideas of self. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. When they have less self-esteem, flattery acts as a boost and, even if the person does not agree with the comments, they will likely appreciate the kindness.