«Why are we born?What is the meaning of life?Who am I really? "- These issues were many people at all times.Modern psychology is also trying to find the answers by exploring the nature of identity, as well as mechanisms of its formation.
Social Psychology closely involved in the specific behavior of the person in the community in the middle of the twentieth century.This was due to the historical features of that period.In Europe and the United States began to develop informal youth movements, who wore protest character, the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the West was in full swing.Social values have changed in his eyes.Without exaggeration, we can say that the construction of a new society.In this situation, the scientists faced the task of studying the interaction of the individual and society.
What causes people to give up their own opinions and to take the side of the majority?Why man is easier to take someone else's point of view, not yours?Finding answers to these questions were devoted to research on the concept of "conformist behavior."
Experimental studies
experiments began in the 50s of the twentieth century in the United States, the first results obtained Solomon Asch.He created a study that has become a classic.Subjects were asked to compare the group to eye length of the segments.In the experiment involved pre-warned the people and one man, who did not know about the conditions of the experiment.Participants sometimes gave incorrect answers to this question.Interesting was the reaction of the test.In 37% of people gave the same wrong answer, like all the "decoy".If the opinion of the group separated, the subjects often give the right answer.I must say that by chance make a mistake in this experiment is not possible.It was necessary only to compare segments, the difference between them was obvious.
Later similar experiences conducted in the Soviet Union, in Kiev, in the framework of the program for the study of behavior in society.In one experiment, attended preschool that offers to try porridge and say, well if it is cooked.In the group of six children, five received sweet porridge, and one child - salty.The results are astounding.Only 60% of the children were able to demonstrate independence of judgment and said that salty porridge.The rest prefer not to break away from the group.
way, this experiment was repeated in Russia in 2010.Exact details have not been published, but judging by the video, children today show greater freedom of opinion of the majority than in the era of the Soviet Union.
Thus, it was experimentally turned out that the phenomenon of conformist behavior, really exists.It is extremely important for people who are in a difficult position when they need to confront the opinion of the majority.Sometimes people are not ready to believe their eyes and to doubt their own feelings if they are contrary to what other people say.This phenomenon is the basis of various techniques to influence consciousness.
Conformity as a phenomenon
based on what conformist behavior?It is necessary for the survival of society.In a crisis, this mechanism makes it possible to preserve the unity, the time of human adaptation to a new team is reduced, the group becomes a unified and more resistant to external influences.
For any society it is essential that people's actions comply with a limited number of rules, norms and regulations, so throughout life people are affected, implicit or explicit, that aims the formation of his installations of opinion.
Many psychologists emphasized that the identity of the person has a social nature.We build it for survival among people, drawing on the experience of parents.But every person has a piece of the soul of man, the true "I", which can and must reveal himself.
Bright and unusual manifestations in the behavior of the individual danger to the integrity of society, so they are reduced to a minimum even in the process of education.Thus, parents raise "decent" boys and girls, which later will not be able to go beyond the rules.
conformist behavior - this behavior, passively accept the prevailing view in the group.The lack of activity and creativity - the main feature of a person who survives to adapt to the existing order of things.
Thus, the phenomenon of conformism is negative for those people who seek self-actualization and want to develop the independence of judgment.
Thus it is useful to society, as one of the mechanisms to ensure its survival.
resolve the issue of how to resist the influence of society and not to be thrown out of it, it will help the concept of lawful behavior.
Behavior, built in accordance with the rights and freedoms of other people, not a conformist, it is reasonable.Mature personality, understands the need to consider in their lives of others, does not feel according to their opinion, such a person can come to an agreement on how to achieve their goals in a team where everyone is entitled to their own judgment.
may be added that the question of how public pressure limits our creative aspirations and independence of thought at all times occupied philosophers and does not lose relevance in this age of information abundance and the fear of hidden manipulation of mass consciousness.
To understand where it ends in a human society and begins his "I", it is necessary to understand the mechanisms that create the personality, as well as learn how to track the expression of one's true nature.
