In highly-publicized criminal offenses and violations of international law, American servicemen in charge of the Abu Ghraib facility abused Iraqi prisoners by terrorizing them with military service dogs and the threat of electrical shocks. They also purposely humiliated them by dragging them around naked, forcing them to simulate homosexuality, and by various other degrading acts specifically intended to disgrace their religious beliefs and cultural values. In some cases, abusive conduct and other violations were precipitated by orders such as in connection with interrogating prisoners to recover usable military intelligence. However, in many other cases (such as those depicted in the photographs that appeared throughout the global media), the abuse represented loss of personal responsibility and moral judgment by virtue of the phenomena of conformity and groupthink.
In a much more benign way, social conformity is apparent throughout American society in clothing styles, the perpetual wave of social trends, and (of course) the tremendous reliance on commercial advertisement for profit. In principle, commercial advertising and paid celebrity endorsements produce a form of social conformity that is financially beneficial to product manufacturers.
More specifically, advertising is most often deigned to stimulate conformity through informational influence ("If the product worked so well for others and for a famous authority on the subject, it will work for me"); or it is designed to exploit normative influences (the desire to have things that others respect and admire or to emulate a famous individual associated with the product).
Individual and Societal...
Psychology Group Dynamics Two significant topics within the area of social influence include conformity and obedience: Stanley Milgram (1933 -- 1984) and Solomon Asch (1907 -- 1996). Please complete Parts I, II, and III. Conformity According to the experiment, conformity is normally criticized basis of morality. Most human atrocities are categorized as obedience crimes. On the other hand, the experiments clarify that the conformity presents equal problematic issues on efficacy grounds. To achieve success,
Conformity and Obedience BEYOND CONSCIOUS AWARENESS Influences of Conformity and Obedience The Concepts of Conformity and Obedience Compared Obedience is a form of social influence in which a person of authority makes a direct command to someone to perform something (McLeod, 2007). It involves changing one's behavior according to the commands of authority (Brehm, Kassin & Fein, 1999 as qtd in Southerly, 2012). Conformity is another form of social influence brought about by social
Physical ailments become more common as the body ages, so older adults are more frequently susceptible to illnesses and disabilities. In order to cope, older people should consult a doctor or therapist for any health or mental health concerns. In addition, they should make an effort to preserve their health with nutritious food and gentle exercise. Social isolation can become a problem for older adults, so making an effort to
Persuasion is defined as the procedure through which a message or information provokes a change in attitudes, beliefs or behaviors (Myers, 2013). In essence, the change in thoughts, attitudes, behaviors or beliefs through persuasion takes place without coercion or duress but is largely influenced by the impact of the message or information on the individual. Persuasion tends to take place is a set up that involves communication, which entails conveying
Essay Topic Examples 1. The Power of Social Influence: Conformity and Obedience in Groups: This essay would explore the dynamics of social influence, particularly focusing on how individuals conform to group norms and obey authority. It would examine classic studies, like those by Asch on conformity and Milgram on obedience, as well as contemporary examples to understand the psychological processes underpinning these behaviors. 2. The Role of Social Media in Shaping Identity
Meanwhile on the subject of obedience, an article in American Psychologist (written by the former research assistant to Milgram at Yale University) poses the following question: if Milgram's experiments / research were conducted today, in 2009, "would people still obey… " (Elms, 2009, p. 34). The answer given in most cases by Elms is that "…a current measure of obedience to destructive authority would find substantially less obedience than
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now