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Conformity and
obedience

Definition of conformity
• Conformity is defined as
being an Action or
behaviour in
correspondence with
socially accepted
standards, conventions,
rules, or laws, or a
Similarity in form or
character agreement

Aim of conformity
• The aim of having conformity in the public
services is to make all individuals involved act,
behave and operate in the same exact manner
• The public services are in situations where
individuals lives may be at risk, members must
act in a certain manner to ensure that their
safety is better guaranteed
• It also means that individuals can be trusted to
handle dangerous equipment

The public services need members to conform to guarantee that
they perform correctly, the horse guards above can relied upon to
conform to the same behaviour as each other and march correctly

Social Influences
• There are 3 social
influences
• Normative social
influences (NSI)
• Informational social
influences (ISI)
• Referential social
influences (RSI)

NSI-Normative social influences
• This is when your influenced
to go with the crowd in
order to avoid social
isolation or embarrassment
• This will occur even when
the people know they are
right and the group is wrong
they go with the crowd
• This will happen 70% of the
time

ISI-Informational social influences
• This is when an
individual uses
influences around them
to achieve normal
behaviour similar to
everyone around them
• This is based on the
assumption that
everyone else is right

RSI-Referential social information
• This is references in
your environment used
to act in the same way
as everyone else, this
objects and things
though rather than the
behaviour of others
making this different
from ISI

Self esteem and conformity
• 1951 Solomon Asch
• Individuals with less self
esteem are more likely to
conform with those
around them to avoid any
social isolation
• Individuals with high self
esteem have a good self
image and are more likely
to have others conform to
their behaviour

The purpose of uniforms
• Uniforms have many functions
• They identify rank within the public services
• They give individuals a sense of belonging and pride
in wearing their uniform
• May carry badges, insignias etc
...

• They help make all individuals involved look more
identical, especially when they perform correlated
movements (drills)

All public services have uniforms, above soldiers wear
the same uniform, and to extent look similar, on an
individual basis though its easy to identify each
individual and see everyone is different

Why do the public services use conformity?
• The public services need individuals who can be
relied upon to act and behave as group all the
time in the same way, conformity allows this
• Conformity keeps individuals together in a group
acting the same way, to avoid social isolation
• Individuality doesn't disappear entirely but group
orientation is more important
• The guarantee of the same behaviour being
performed is invaluable to the services

Downsides to conformity
• Enforces rank and forces individuals to stay in
a group generally of a similar rank and creates
a them and us culture between ranks from
both higher and lower ranks
• Over conforming can mean that an individual
can no longer function outside that group
• Individuals may always follow the group even
in doing something they know is wrong

Definition of obedience
• Obedience is
defined as
dutifully
complying with
the commands,
orders, or
instructions of one
in authority

The aim of having obedience
• Obedience guarantees that orders will be
followed
• Allows the hierarchy structure to function
• Further increases discipline
• Good obedience makes establishing
conformity easier
• To create individuals who do what they are
told when they are told

Obedience means when your told to jump you jump without asking why

The role of status
• Status means quite simply when someone higher up
in the rank structure than you tells you to do
something you do it, because the hierarchy structure
means you must do so
• People will follow orders that they know are wrong
because they have been told to do it by someone
else, and the responsibility moves to them

The Nazis carried out horrible atrocities, but all did so following orders
from a higher authority, in this case Adolf Hitler

Conscious and unconscious obedience
• Conscious obedience is
simply understanding
what is being asked
when you follow it
• Unconscious is either
following orders unaware
of doing so or else not
understanding what your
orders mean when you
carry them out

Compliance
• Compliance simply
means you follow what
your told to do
• So as a result of
obedience you should
comply when orders are
given and follow them
out
• This is needed in
dangerous situations

Factors of obedience
• Fear- what will happen
if the you don`t obey
• Love- you want to obey
for that person
• Reward- what will you
get for obeying
• Respect- you obey the
person because they
have rightfully earned
your respect

Downsides to obedience
• Actually not that many apart from the risk of
blind obedience, where soldiers no longer
question orders given and follow them
regardless of what they might be
• The public services though do encourage this
as this would be the panicle behaviour to have
in a group or individual

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