An Analysis: Compliance, Obedience, and Conformity in Social Context

This essay delves into the concepts of compliance, obedience, and conformity, exploring their definitions, differences, and similarities within the context of social influence. It examines how these concepts impact individual behavior within social settings, discussing the factors that influence them, such as group pressure, authority figures, and persuasive tactics. The essay analyzes various strategies used to achieve compliance, including the foot-in-the-door technique and the impact of power dynamics. It also explores the Milgram experiment and the role of peer support in obedience and conformity. Furthermore, the essay highlights the interconnectedness of these social influence processes, emphasizing how they shape individual actions and beliefs within groups and society. The essay provides a comprehensive analysis of these key psychological concepts and their real-world implications.

ACADEMIC ESSAY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TOPIC..............................................................................................................................................1
To Compare and contrast the concepts of compliance, obedience and conformity....................1
ESSAY.............................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Academic essay contribute effective results to practice for examining towards the career
opportunities. In this way, different types of skills develop in systematic way which performed in
different fields for enhancing quality writing and many other activities (Pennebaker, Chung and
Beaver, 2014). In this context, present report based on the compare and contrasting of the
concept of compliance. In order to focus on the topic report covers relevant theory, concept and
research. Furthermore, it discusses about examples which can be applied on actual or fictional
performances.
TOPIC
To Compare and contrast the concepts of compliance, obedience and conformity
ESSAY
Compliance, obedience and conformity are main three norms of the social influence
process which impact to the individual behaviour within the social setting. There are different
ways in which fashions and unwritten social norms are committing with immoral acts. In the
compliance, individual gave an expressed request from another person or other people while
obedience defines as doing which told by someone for conformity which given in the group
pressure and going along with majority. Conformity is the peer pressure, individual not asked to
perform functions. Individual also need to do outcomes for everyone because they accept to do
work in significant manner.
On the other hand, obedient comes from authoritative people such as teachers and
policemen. Individual also obeys instruction which came from the different figures. The present
essay has aim to look similarities and differences between the concepts of different types of
social influences (Sheridan and Jacobi, 2014). It is also looks towards the factors that impact on
the social influences. Furthermore, it also identified social influence which similar to each other
almost to the stage of interchangeable.
Social influence is the effective process in which one or more than one people presence.
In this aspect, real and imaginary can affect to thoughts, feeling and behaviour of individual
under the pressure which exist in persuasion. There are three areas of social influence such as
conformity, compliance and obedience. In this context, compare and contrast of the concept of
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compliance, obedience and conformity. There are several factors determines which see the
differences and similarities among them.
Compliance concept
Compliance defined in different ways which depends directly on discipline and context
which used for developing performances. There are several ways in which standards have been
measure and develop professional outcomes (Pennebaker, Chung and Beaver, 2014). In other
words, it can be stated that compliance is being develop accordance with established guidelines
or specifications. For example, development of compliance with specification that created by
someone. Definition of compliance encompasses with efforts that ensure organisations abiding
through industry regulations and government legislation. Compliance often happened in
everyday life for instance when a person perform any task and asked for individual complying
the request. Unwritten law of the present group and members stick to the rules which considered
important part in it. It is the most important characteristics of the compliance which exist in the
group performances (Biederman, 2016).
In addition to this, compliance refers for forming social influence which individual
expressed request from person to person. It is known as the social compliance which carried
much research to find out the influence of it in the environment. There are mainly five factors
and strategies which could be influence to compliance (Constable and et.al., 2017). In this
aspect, one factor include intimidation which create fear to other people to think that they are
dangerous. Further, second factor include exemplification in which individual attempt to make
look upon morally respected person. Third factor known as the supplication which make believe
of other people to do help when he/she is pitiful, helpless and needy. Forth factor is self
promotion in which individual generates respect and confidence through convincing other
(Piaget, Inhelder and Piaget, 2013).
In addition to this, ingratiation is the last factor in which individual attempt to get others
to like them before subsequently making request for others. Multiple uses a set-up or softener
through determine false request and follow real request. There are mainly three tools implement
such as foot within the door, door exist in face and low ball. In the foot within the door tactics,
an individual mostly likely to agree the larger request when smaller request has been effectively
working. In addition to this, door within face tactics is a person who favour at first which
followed by smaller second favour. With the help of low ball tool, principles also develop which
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agree to accept increasing outcomes with committed to action. Compliance is not only influence
by the persuasive tactics but also mentioned in the power the requester person. In the door in face
tool, a person also asks for big favour at first then followed by smaller second favour (Constable
and et.al., 2017).
In order to determine reward power, it will be given reward to take participation of
different people.
In the low ball tool, principle based on the outcomes which agree to accept the higher
increases when he/she committed to an action. Compliance is not only influenced by persuasive
elements which used to mention the power. There are 6 types of power exist such as reward
power, coercive power, informational power, expert power, legitimate power and referent power.
Obedience concept
Obedience concept refers in the form of social influence in that people gave expression
instructions from an authority without any query. In the simple way, it defines simple action in
accordance with rules and orders. Obedience started at very young age. For instance, a person
tends to obey orders and instructions which comes from parents, teachers. After this when he/she
become to social work, he tends to obey boss (Lizzio and Wilson, 2013). In addition to this, there
are also several members who follow spiritual leaders and also see to legitimate authority if it is
wrong. The authority included in this aspect which given by the society to them. Mostly it is
used to trait people to develop out respect or fear.
However, there are several factors affecting to the level of obedience which identified by
the experiment of Milgram's. It is the location of one factor. In the experiment, university
conducted that trusted academic institutions perceived their research and experiment to increase
personal responsibilities. Within the program, experimenter wore uniform which symbolized
higher status of people which influence to the increasing of obedience. Further, peer support also
implement to level of obedience. When person has social support with social people or presence
of disobey people reduce level of obedience. Proximity within the authority create impact on the
level of obedience. It is the easier to resist orders and instruction from long distance.
Conformity
In addition to this, conformity is the trait which make changes in people behaviour to
determines social norms and behave according to their desire. In the group, people change their
belief and attitude to match with majority of people in particular group. When a person confirm
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that he is obedient for people, they are complied that there must be perceived authority in a
group. Without the authority figure, it is very hard for members in the group to conform several
aspects. Every person require being obedient in order for people to comply and perceive
authority in the group.
According to Lizzio and Wilson, (2013), there are several experiments done which shows
confronted social norm behaviour for closer approximate of perceive norm. However,
Biederman, (2016) stated that experiment participants exposed to the picture of particular
situation where social expectation of silence, library later quieter on the pronunciation.
Participants also showed effective picture in different areas such as noisy and many other
activities. It showed normative behaviour to being silent and unconsciously activated in subject
which exists in library.
In the study, Piaget, Inhelder and Piaget, (2013) stated that there are several factors exists
which influence the increase and decrease within the conformity. Firstly, conformity will
enhance size of the group which grows in small term with four to five people only. There are
majority of participants admitted knowing and also saw that that it can also perceived wrongly.
On the other hand, Chabal, (2016), argued that others simply went along with the group in order
to stand and avoid for conflict which reported manually. It seems that human being confirmed to
avoid social disapproval and it appear that nobody has desire to be the only outstanding person to
voice a different manner.
It is the interesting to note that conformity emphasize on the power of majority to force
the minority to conform their behaviour to the group. There are such researches which being
done recently on minority social influences (Pennebaker, Chung and Beaver, 2014). It is the
social influence which refers to a form of social influence which rejects the group norms and
values. With the help of changes in a group, process begun to explores certain kinds of minorities
which pursued to change the behaviour. Research shows that minority present the point of view
in the confident which consistent and done in flexible manner to overcome an uncertain and
uninvolved the majority (Blumson, 2017).
Differences
The concept of compliance is similar to the conformity but it is also possess slight
difference. For compliance occur within group, one step taken in the action to other wishes and
rules as well (Schwartz, 2014). Request for the acts compliance occurs in everyone person life.
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Simply it need to be asks from someone to perform task which can be request for the
compliance. The most effective method to gain compliance through different rational persuasion
and inspiration. In this aspect, one person asking to another to perform task. He can be agree or
disagree with the task perform by a person. Simply task and needs to be performed to attempt
changes in other person in term of belief. Notion also set compliance and conformity which need
to be performed with attitude, belief and values (De Mayo, 2013).
The differences between the obedience, conformity and compliance perceive with
different status. In this aspect, one gives the instruction and another individual need to obey
without any query. However, in the conformity, individual has fear of social disapproved and
being different from the group (Liu, 2014). Beside this, it is peer pressure which brings
conformity among the member of a group. It is also affected through person culture that
orientated either individualism or collectivism. As compare to this, compliance and obedience
less likely which affect to the particular factor. Conformity is also affected by the weather
individual culture which oriented towards individualism or collectivism (Lizzio and Wilson,
2013). However, obedience and compliance less likely and effect the particular factor.
There is main difference between compliance and obedient is one request and question
with the direct command. While one invites subject carries with social expectations of the
obedience (Piaget, Inhelder and Piaget, 2013). Conformity is the generally interesting of the
social norms which takes tasks in the incorporations their own paradigm. Conformed behaviour
can be shown to become the necessary system with private belief and values. In addition to this,
compliance and obedience are main results of social expectations, self gain, and many other
activities. Perception and behaviour determines strong cause which like by majority of people
that is more accurate and conductive (Sheridan and Jacobi, 2014).
Similarities
Concept of compliance, obedience and conformity interrelated and shared in effective
way. Both conformity and compliance shown for improved when positive inter personal attitude
relate with each other. With having attention, incidental similarities between requester and
individual who obey and shown increasing in compliance (Biederman, 2016). Through
improvement in the relationship, it can be develop in systematic way. Another similarities'
cohesiveness of the group has also shown affect to the conformity. Compliance and obedience
also have similar aspects in the foot in the door approach. Studies also showed which can be
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impact on the participant compliance to request further in the later stage (Hulme, 2014). It can be
also reflected in the Milgram experiment for obedience which builds the subject from smaller
shocks to larger ones.
Compliance, obedience and conformity all is important subject which could be effect to
informational social influence (Nunes, 2013). Conformity is the obviously based on the social
influence and studies which also provide evidence for normative focus theory. It is the saliency
of social norm which significantly correlate to conformity. Compliance is the subject to the
informational social influence under the category of social validation. It helps to target individual
to fulfil their desire with putting action and expectation of the society. Studies also shown rate of
obedience to destructive commands which drops sharply when participant reminded about the
amount of responsibilities (Haines, 2014).
Compliance and obedient also have similarity in the foot in the approach. Studies also
shown that there is no participant to determine their participants. It includes accepting the task at
supermarket which can improve later compliance to request. It can be reflected in the Milgram
experiment on obedience where subject in the smaller shocks to large ones (Chabal, 2016).
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that compliance, obedient and conformity all
elements interrelated with each other. However, these elements also determine difference
between each other. Compliance defines as the actions which need to be taken in the group to
enhance effective results in significant manner. Furthermore, conformity within the group entails
members who change attitude and belief. When group member conform their group needs, they
will lose credibility rest in the group. However, obedient is the act which signify order without
any question because it comes from legitimate authority.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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222). Open Book Publishers.
Chabal, P., 2016. Power in Africa: an essay in political interpretation. Springer.
De Mayo, P. ed., 2013. Rearrangements in Ground and Excited States: Organic Chemistry: A
Series of Monographs (Vol. 1). Academic Press.
Haines, C., 2014. Review Essay: Islam in Pakistan. Contemporary Islam. 8(3). pp.339-343.
Hulme, M., 2014. WIREs Climate Change after 4 years: an editorial essay. Wiley
Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change. 5(1). pp.1-5.
Liu, J., 2014. The Gold–Hope Tang, MD 2014 Humanism in Medicine Essay Contest: Third
Place: An Extension of…. Academic Medicine. 89(10). pp.1360-1361.
Lizzio, A. and Wilson, K., 2013. First-year students’ appraisal of assessment tasks: implications
for efficacy, engagement and performance. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher
Education. 38(4). pp.389-406.
Nunes, M. J., 2013. The five-paragraph essay: Its evolution and roots in theme-writing. Rhetoric
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Pennebaker, J. W., Chung, C. K. and Beaver, D. I., 2014. When small words foretell academic
success: The case of college admissions essays. PloS one. 9(12). p.e115844.
Piaget, J., Inhelder, B. and Piaget, J., 2013. The growth of logical thinking from childhood to
adolescence: An essay on the construction of formal operational structures (Vol. 84).
Routledge.
Schwartz, L. H., 2014. Challenging the tyranny of the five‐paragraph essay: teachers and
students as semiotic boundary workers in classroom and digital space. Literacy. 48(3).
pp.124-135.
Sheridan, M. P. and Jacobi, T., 2014. Critical Feminist Practice and Campus-Community
Partnerships: A Review Essay. Feminist Teacher. 24(1). pp.138-150.
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Constable, S. And et.al., 2017. Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience.
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[Online] Available through: <https://www.units.miamioh.edu/psybersite/cults/cco.shtml>.
[Accessed on 30th September 2017].
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