Abstract
This paper discusses conformity as a consequence of social perception that influences behavior. The paper examines the concept of conformity from the context of its significance in social psychology. Issues concerning conformity such as the need for acceptance, the role of authority and when and why conformity occurs are addressed by the paper.

From the Paper
"The purpose of this research is to examine the phenomenon of conformity as consequence of social perceptions that influence behavior. The plan of the research will be to set forth the context in which this issue achieves significance in social psychology and then to assess when people are most likely to conform to normative social influences. To that end, the research will discuss the need for acceptance, when and why conformity occurs, the importance of accountability in a social context ,the power of propaganda to effect conformity..."

Tags:conformity, social, influence, propaganda, social, norms

Abstract
This paper discusses three different poems that have the themes of rebellion and conformity. The poems by Helen Sorrell, Langston Hughes, and Nii Parkes have two themes in common. All three of these poems have the themes rebellion and conformity as their topics. The question addressed in these poems is whether to rebel against someone or to conform whether it is to another person or to society as a whole.

From the Paper
"The poems by Helen Sorrell, Langston Hughes, and Nii Parkes have two themes in common. All three of these poems have the themes rebellion and conformity as their topics. The question addressed in these poems is whether to rebel against someone or to conform whether it is to another person or to society as a whole. Langston Hughes was an African American who lived during a time when African Americans were not accepted in many places. In order to conform to society, Langston realized that many dreams of African Americans had to conform to the rules of society. Yet, Langston never conformed to society..."

Tags:conform, rebel, society

Abstract
This paper examines the role of priming on several social psychology behaviors including attitudes, judgements and conformity. The paper provides a description of priming and of each of the social behaviors discussed in the paper. The paper then focuses on describing past research that shows the ways in which priming affects these behaviors.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Priming Attitudes/Judgments
Priming Social Conformity

From the Paper
"Schemas are cognitive representations of nonsocial and social objects that are stored in memory in associative networks. Activation of a schema increases its accessibility in the present and in the future. One way to activate a schema is through priming. Priming is any experience or mental activity that occurs prior to an event or situation and which increases the likelihood that relevant schema will be made more accessible. Such experiences or activities are referred to as primes and primes vary in the level of activation or accessibility they create. The minimum prime required to activate a schema is called the response threshold (Moskowitz, 2005). This can then affect a perception, judgment, and/or behavior by associative processes in memory. In this paper I will examine priming effects on judgments and social conformity by describing several relevant studies and their results."

Tags:conformity, behavior, influence

Abstract
This paper analyzes Thoreau's position on the necessity of both rebellion against government and conformity with certain social norms and mores. The paper refers to Thoreau's essay, on "Civil Disobedience" as the basis for his political beliefs.

From the Paper
"Henry David Thoreau introduces his essay "Civil Disobedience" with the assertion that in his view; "That government is best which governs least." In this simple and straightforward statement, Thoreau reveals that he is at heart a Libertarian who believes that small, unobtrusive, minimal government will provide the greatest amount of personal freedom and freedom of conscience to an individual. However, though he himself was hardly unwilling to rebel against what he considered unjust and unfair or simply wrong headed government, Thoreau saw a place..."

Tags:Henry David Thoreau, On Civil Disobedience, resistance, conformity

Abstract
This paper discusses the proposition that gender differences are learned, imposed by the society that spawns them and then perpetuates them from one generation to the next. The paper suggests that men conform to the gender requirements of their society, requirements conveyed to them as cultural biases that they then emulate.

From the Paper
"Sex differences are biological, while gender differences are cultural. This means that gender differences are learned, imposed by the society that spawns them and then perpetuates them from one generation to the next. Men conform to the gender requirements of their society, requirements conveyed to them as cultural biases that they then emulate. Men thus come out more or less with the same basic way of thinking and the same modes of behavior because those are culturally dictated to say what count as masculine traits and what do not. Asch (originally 1955) noted the power of conformity and the fact that conformity is defined as "behavior that adheres to the behavior patterns of a particular group of which that individual is a member" (Hock, 1992, p. 290). Such persons are guided by unspoken rules of conduct found in "social norms" of conduct."

Tags:male, conformity, culture

Abstract
An examination of how the themes of obedience and conformity are reflected in society, as well as in George Orwell's novel, "1984." The paper explains the nature of society's influence on the individual.

From the Paper
"In George Orwell's frightening account of a society not too far removed from our own we find ourselves considering the nature of society's influence upon the individual and how that might be affected via propaganda, rhetoric advertisement or authority. The same notions have been considered by psychologists for quite some time."

Tags:milgram, asch, lessing, conformity, obedience, 1984, 0rwell

Abstract
The paper reviews studies on conformity to the standards of expected male or female behavior, and reveals that the more aggressive traits towards non-conformity are attributed to the male gender. The paper explores how shame is a related concept that increases the possibility of conformity and addresses the heightened awareness of looks and peer pressure during adolescence. The paper shows how studies have found that women conform more easily than men, but points out that there is a wide variance of conformity on a case by case level.

From the Paper
"Conformity has many levels and varieties and levels of compliance can vary greatly within the individual as well as have both subtle and overt element based on gender characteristics. Research has also shown that conformity can vary depending on the environment and circumstance, whether the issue is being tested immediately in front of a group where the individual is being put "on the spot" or on how the individual relates to the larger societal constraints in general. This relationship to society often involves not only conformity to certain social structures but conformity to the "norms" of both behaviors (law and order) as well as gender (conforming to typically male or female roles)."

Tags:adolescence, shame, peer, pressure

Abstract
The Confucian society of ancient China was filled with specific norms and values. Conforming or not conforming to these specific values could cause negative or positive impacts in many individuals' lives. This paper discusses how the characters Pao-yu, Precious Virtue, Black Jade, Phoenix and Chia Lien from "Dream of the Red Chamber" by Hsueh Tsao Chin; Shen Fu and his wife Yun from "The Six Records of a Floating Life" by Shen Fu and Women Wang from "The Death of Women Wang" by Jonathan Spence do or do not conform to Confucian society and the affect that this conformity has on their lives.

From the Paper
"Black Jade (Lin Ku-niang) another character from Dream of the Red Chamber is the woman Pao-yu is deeply in love with, like her lover she also has a rebellious nature. Black Jade is a very emotional, sensitive and dramatic girl who fails to conform to society because she was not an individual who showed filial piety, which was significant in a Confucian society. Black Jade loved Pao-yu and believed strongly that they were soul mates and destined to be married. The superiors in the Chia household especially the Matriarch, found Black Jade to have an arrogant and willful nature, they were not impressed by her unbridled behavior and found her speech to be most offending especially since it resulted as filial impiety. "

Tags:black, chamber, chia, fu, jade, lien, life, mei, pao, phoenix, red, shen, six, society, virtue, wang, yu, yuan, yun

Abstract
This research paper states that most students conformed to elevator group behavior and more females than males were found to conform. The paper explains that, for the purpose of this study, conforming behavior is operationally defined as the "wrong way facing" in an elevator. The author feels that this research provides evidence that people tend to change their own response to conform to the group's behavior.

Table of Contents
Abstract
Research Question
Definitions
Conforming Behavior
Elevator Group
Introduction
Literature Review
Definition and General Information
Influential Factors
Individual Mechanisms
Social Mechanisms
Methodology
Research Design
Participants and Subjects
Variables
Procedure
Data Analysis
Results
Discussion
Implications for Future Research

From the Paper
"Conformity is defined as the changing of one's own response to be like that of the group's response. A further aspect of the definition includes the movement toward the group with the maintenance of congruence with the group. Thus, a person may originally conform to the group's behavior, but then a further decision to conform must be made in order for the behavior to be maintained. "

Tags:data, procedure, methodology, individual, mechanisms

Abstract
The paper looks at several landmark psychological experiments and national events that have illustrated the negative potential of social conformity and obedience, including Solomon Asch's experiments, the Stanford prison experiment and how members of the American Armed Forces stationed at the Abu Ghraib detention facility in Iraq engaged in systematic abuse and torture of prisoners of war. The paper also discusses how advertising is most often designed to stimulate conformity through informational influence and finally, examines the individual and societal influences leading to deviance from group norms.

Outline:
Conformity and Obedience
Classical Study of Group Influence on the Individual
Contemporary Example of Group Influence on the Individual
Individual and Societal Influences Leading to Deviance from Group Norms

From the Paper
"In the early 1950s, psychologist Solomon Asch (1907-1996) demonstrated the power of group influence and the susceptibility of the individual to blind conformity. Asch's experiments involved subjects within groups of confederates all of whom agreed unanimously on an obviously wrong answer, such as the comparative lengths of two lines depicted in a drawing. Those experiments revealed that many subjects will change their answer and support the group's consensus instead of maintaining their original position without being influenced by the group (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).
"It is thought that various factors determine whether or not (or to what degree) different people are susceptible to group influence. Generally, the size of the group, its degree of unanimity, its relative social status, and variation in aspects of individual psychology in the realm of self-esteem and confidence all contribute to the power of the group to influence the individual in specific cases (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).
"In 1970, psychologist Phillip Zimbardo conducted the (now) famous Stanford Prison Experiment in which psychology study volunteers were randomly assigned to be prisoners or prison guards in a simulated prison facility created for the experiment. Without any direction from Zimbardo, the guard group followed the lead of the most dominant individuals and the individual guards became so abusive to their fellow classmates playing the roles of prisoners that Zimbardo had to stop the experiment barely halfway through its scheduled two-week run."

Tags:Stanford, prison, Abu, Ghraib, advertising, norms