Extended Essay Example: How Does Culture Influence Social Conformity to Groups?
Extended Essay
Jacob Harris
Robinson High School
Mr. Donald Pippin
Psychology
Word Count: 3681
Abstract
Conformity is an aspect of psychology that is prevalent in our everyday lives. We are constantly looking to others for guidance, and in doing so we conform to the norms we establish as groups. But what sorts of factors affect conformity? What causes conformity? Do people conform uniformly between cultures? The question I will investigate in this paper is “how does culture influence social conformity to groups?”
In addition to investigating the causes of conformity, I will investigate three aspects of culture that influence conformity: the level of food accumulation in a society, the level of modernization in a society, and if the society is individualist or collectivist. In my investigation I learned that higher food accumulation, lower levels of modernization, and collectivism all influence conformity and increase levels of conformity in a society. I concluded that this was because each of these aspects encourages community and societal unity. In doing so, the people of these cultures become more aware of their peers and the way they behave, and become more sensitive to their actions and judgments. In this way, the people become more likely to conform because they are more considerate of others in their society.
Word Count: 212
Table of Contents
Title Page …………………………………………………………………………………1
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………2
Table of Contents ……………………………………………...………………………… 3
Introduction ……………………………………………...………………………………..4
Social Causes of Conformity ……………………………………………...……….. 6 – 10
Effect of Levels of Food Accumulation on Conformity in a Society …………..… 11 – 12
Impact of Modernization on a Country’s Levels of Conformity …………………..13 – 15 Impact of Collectivism vs. Individualism on Conformity ………………………... 16 – 17
Conclusion ……………………………………………...……………………………… 18
References ……………………………………………...…………………………..19 – 20
Introduction
I
Jacob Harris
Robinson High School
Mr. Donald Pippin
Psychology
Word Count: 3681
Abstract
Conformity is an aspect of psychology that is prevalent in our everyday lives. We are constantly looking to others for guidance, and in doing so we conform to the norms we establish as groups. But what sorts of factors affect conformity? What causes conformity? Do people conform uniformly between cultures? The question I will investigate in this paper is “how does culture influence social conformity to groups?”
In addition to investigating the causes of conformity, I will investigate three aspects of culture that influence conformity: the level of food accumulation in a society, the level of modernization in a society, and if the society is individualist or collectivist. In my investigation I learned that higher food accumulation, lower levels of modernization, and collectivism all influence conformity and increase levels of conformity in a society. I concluded that this was because each of these aspects encourages community and societal unity. In doing so, the people of these cultures become more aware of their peers and the way they behave, and become more sensitive to their actions and judgments. In this way, the people become more likely to conform because they are more considerate of others in their society.
Word Count: 212
Table of Contents
Title Page …………………………………………………………………………………1
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………2
Table of Contents ……………………………………………...………………………… 3
Introduction ……………………………………………...………………………………..4
Social Causes of Conformity ……………………………………………...……….. 6 – 10
Effect of Levels of Food Accumulation on Conformity in a Society …………..… 11 – 12
Impact of Modernization on a Country’s Levels of Conformity …………………..13 – 15 Impact of Collectivism vs. Individualism on Conformity ………………………... 16 – 17
Conclusion ……………………………………………...……………………………… 18
References ……………………………………………...…………………………..19 – 20
Introduction
I