Content area
Full Text
Conformity occurs when the subject demonstrates the same behavior or attitude as the object. The subject is the individual who conforms. The object(s) may be individuals, groups, organizations, policies, rules and regulations, or the experience or natural instinct of the subject. Conformity is divided into 2 categories: irrational conformity (herd behavior) and rational conformity (abidance, compliance, and obedience). In this study we explain the meaning of abidance, compliance, obedience, and herd behavior. The conclusions have implications in the fields of commerce, education, service, politics, management, religion, and more.
Keywords: conformity, abidance, compliance, obedience, herd behavior.
What is conformity?
The pioneering research on conformity was conducted by Sherif in 1935 (cited in Friedman, Sears, & Smith, 1984). Psychologists such as Asch (1951) and Milgram (1963) subsequently conducted similar experimental studies (see also, Milgram, Bickman, & Berkowitz, 1969). Conformity is the change of actions or attitudes caused by the pressure from some real or notional groups (Myers, 2010).
However, when we analyze the process of conformity and its causes we find that there are at least two limitations of the experiment. First, the group is not a prerequisite for the conformity of individuals. In Sherif 's (1935) experiment (cited in Friedman et al., 1984), the majority conformed to the minority when it was conducted by one assistant. In Asch's (1951) study the conforming percentage was 2.8% with one assistant and in Milgram's (1963) research, one assistant stopped 4% of all pedestrians, while 42% of the pedestrians looked on without stopping. Second, conformity is not absolutely irrational herd behavior. In most cases, conformity is a result of rational reflection, although mistakes can be made.
The conforming action can, therefore, be divided into rational conformity and irrational conformity. Rational conformity is behavior guided by thinking, judgment, or reasoning. It occurs as a result of the influences exerted by the object's behavior or attitude and includes abidance, compliance, and obedience. Irrational conformity or herd behavior is the behavior the subject presents when they are guided by intuitionistic and instinctive activities and influenced by the behavior or attitude of the object (Figure 1). Generally speaking, there are a variety of factors that cause conforming behavior, such as individuals, organizations, and policies. Conformity can thus be divided into narrow conformity and...