It is seen through life that to be a part of a group of people we must adjust to the needs of the group, therefore altering aspects of our true identity. In times of pressure or adversity, qualities and characteristics of a person can change to avoid the scrutiny you would encounter from the group if you were your true self. It is the tendency for all people to attempt to belong to a group, by any means necessary, in order to feel secure and wanted. Conformity is displayed particularly well by weak minded individuals who fear loneliness, and when alone feel too afraid to stand up for themselves.
It is seen that there are three types of conformity: compliance, internalisation and identification. Compliance is where the person goes along with the group view, but privately disagrees with it. Internalisation is where the person comes to accept, and eventually in time believes in the group view. Identification is where the person accepts and believes the group view, because he or she wants to become associated with the group. The movie “The Breakfast Club”, directed by John Hughes, recognises that high school can be a nightmare of identity issues, and the realisation that everyone has them.
In a scene where they are all discussing what’s going to happen Monday when they all back to school and whether they’re going to ignore each other. An argument between Claire and Brian makes Claire tell the truth, “I hate having to go along with everything my friends say! ” Claire reveals that the pressure the group puts on her forces her to alter her true identity to fit in as she states that she hates going along with what the group says, displaying when she is with them she is not her true self.
The Essay on Role Of Appearance, Racial, And Social Identity View Throughout Passing
“Passing” is the movement of a person who is legally or socially black designated into a white racial category or social identity. “Passing”; a product that came out of Plessy v. Ferguson indicating the equalities between racial identities to become very blatant in social, political, educational, and economic areas that increased and mainly focusing on visually light-skinned women and men being ...
In another scene, Andrew reveals what he was in detention for, as he relived his terrible actions. Andrew describes that he taped together his teammates butt cheeks together, “I tortured this poor kid, because I wanted him to think that I was cool. ” The pressure from his father telling him he must ”Win Win! WIN!! ” all the time and making Andrew do something he didn’t want to do as he wanted his father to be proud of him, Andrew even stated that “I wish my knee would give”.
“The Breakfast Club” display that through these characters, the need to belong in a group results in conformity, as the pressures from the group make them change themselves to fit the part of a group member. Social psychologists have conducted numerous experiments and concluded that, through various forms of social influence, groups can change their members’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. This displays that the need to belong in the group and the pressure they put on you, the group can alter your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.
Dorris Lessing also states, “When we’re in a group, we tend to think as that group does… but we also find our thinking changing because we belong to a group” (p. 334) “Group Minds”. According to Leon Mann, conformity means ‘yielding to group pressures’. Everyone is a member of one group or another and everyone expects members of these groups to behave in certain ways. If you are a member of a popular group you are expected to behave appropriately to it. If you don’t conform and behave appropriately you are likely to be rejected by the group.
Like stereotypes, conforming and expecting others to conform maintains cognitive balance. Written Explanation This persuasive piece is written in the form of a persuasive essay. I explore the prompt “Conforming to the needs of a group can stifle your true identity” and strongly agree with this. It describes that to conform to the needs of the group we must alter aspects of our true identity and how the need to belong to a group and the pressure they put on you make you change to fit the part of a member of that group.
The Essay on Story Group Pressure
If someone asked you to jump off a bridge with two of your friends, would you do it? Peer pressure is defined by social pressure from members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted. There are many types of peer pressure; a common one is group pressure. Drunk driving is defined as operating a motor vehicle after consuming ...
My aim in this persuasive piece was to incorporate my opinion on the prompt and inform the audience of when we’re in a group, we tend to think as that group does, but also find our thinking changes because we belong to a group, as the need to belong in the group and the pressure they put on you, the group can alter your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. To accomplish my aim I used an informative and persuasive tone and also used inclusive language and expert opinions.
Inclusive language further engaged the readers, to get them thinking that this is what happens to them when they conform and how the group can change them, this makes it easier to persuade the readers as they are included in arguments. The expert opinions also help to persuade the readers as it also gives the opinion from someone who specialises in this field which support my argument as well. This piece is aimed at teenagers and adults because from the start of secondary school we all begin to join groups of friends that alter aspects of our true identity as we succumb to peer pressure.
