It is generally accepted that each of us is individual. It's hard to argue with that. Any person is truly a one-of-a-kind being. Even identical twins are often not identical. And the issue under discussion concerns, of course, not only appearance, but also character, attitudes and views.
However, often, due to certain circumstances, a person has to accept the values of the society with which he coexists. This phenomenon is defined as conformity. In psychology, this concept is characterized as the assimilation by any individual of the values, habits, norms inherent in a particular social group. In other words, the individual becomes part of it.
Despite the fact that many negatively perceive such a thing as "conformity", this is one of the most common processes occurring in various communities. This does not mean at all that a person in this case always loses his individuality, no. It's just that he goes through the almost always obligatory process of socialadaptations that help build friendships. In scientific terms, conformity is an important aspect of the functioning of any social system.
But many are right when they perceive this concept as something negative. Not always the acceptance of the values of a certain group occurs at the will of the individual. Often we become victims of some kind of social pressure. Many of us believe that conformity is something that does not concern them, that the views we hold are the result of our life experience.
In fact, much of what we consider to be the norm that suits us, specifically for us, is not. Let's take an example. In most societies, it is accepted that a “normal person” must tie the knot up to a certain age. If this does not happen, society, of course, will not express its sharply negative opinion on this matter, but will do everything to ensure that an individual who does not fit into the conformal framework feels like an outcast. With this in mind, many of us from childhood have the wrong attitude, aiming specifically at marriage, and not at finding happiness.
And this is far from the only common example of how conformity can negatively affect our lives. This includes the well-established opinion about the importance of a prestigious job, about the obligatory presence of children in married couples, and so on. And the one who goes against the foundations is called a nonconformist. Often such people are not accepted by society.
Conformity is a rather complicated concept. This process can influence the formation of views both for a long time and for a short time. Anyone can watch the famous documentary, filmed back in Soviet times. It shows sociological experiments that are carried out in a variety of groups of people. At the same time it is interesting and sad to observe how an individual, under the influence and pressure of the majority, calls white black, for example. Or finds similarities where there are none, adjusting to the opinions of others.
From the foregoing, it is clear that conformity is a concept that can both positively and negatively affect the development of a person.
