Alienation and Conformity PPT

Challenge and Change in Society HSB4M

ALIENATION AND CONFORMITY

‘The Power of Conformity’  An example of people’s overwhelming needs

to conform to a social paradigm  What is conformity?

Discussion Questions:

Video

 What are the triggers to conform in this

video?  What feelings did the person in the experiment feel to make them change their behaviour?  Vote: What would you have done in this same situation?

Discussion Questions: Society  In today’s society – are there pressures to

conform? In what ways?  What are the repercussions to not “conforming”?  After looking at this clip, think about how people in society would act, what would happen if everybody acted the same?  How different would life be?

Alienation  Refers to an individual separation from a

community or group of people in general  This is also known as an anomie  Refers to a personal condition resulting in a lack of norms  i.e. A totalitarian society would produce an anomic individual such as Hitler

Isolation  Known as a state of seclusion  i.e. a lack of contact with people  May stem from:  Bad relationships  Deliberate choice  Contagious disease  Repulsive personal habits  Mental illness

Isolation in society  Feeling marginalized in society could force

people to resist the social norm  Unrest in society could lead to isolation, not

feeling included in society

Conformity  Process whereby an individual’s attitudes,

beliefs and behaviours are influenced by other people  Could be the result of social pressure  People often conform to achieve a sense of security in a group of people – a feeling that makes one ‘belong’

Pressures to Conform  An unwillingness to conform could risk social

rejection  An individual who is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction is a victim of social rejection.  Conformity acts as a scapegoat in order to avoid bullying and criticism from peers.

Key Questions for Today  What groups in society may feel socially

isolated?  Why is this?  What groups in society are forced to conform?

Conformity in Contemporary Society  Most people conform to the standard values

and norms without even realizing they are doing so  Some degree of conformity is necessary for societies to function  i.e. Stopping at a red light means that you are conforming to the law and the good and safety of society

Conformity and Youth • Pre-teens and teenagers face many issues related to conformity • Pulled between the desire to be seen as unique

individuals and desire to belong to a group where they feel accepted • i.e. wearing the latest fashion, cutting your hair into a certain style, smoking, changing the type of music you listen to • All of these are examples of conforming to a social norm

Scenarios • Discuss the following questions with your

group: • A) What are the triggers to conform in this scenario? • B) What feelings did the person in the situation feel to potentially make them change their behaviour? • C) What would you have done in this situation?

Discussion  Which situation would be the

most easy and most difficult in terms of resisting conformity?  Why?