Two Types Of Conformity And Non-Conformity In Society

Part A: Define Conformity and Non-Conformity
Conformity is defined as the compliance with social standards and laws in a particular culture, environment, society and time. If this occurs the individual changes their attitudes, beliefs or actions to align more holistically with those in the surrounding groups and environment, as a result of real or perceived group pressure. This is ultimately a direct result of the power which a group has over the individual. There are two types of conformity, normative conformity, and informational conformity. Normative conformity is motivated by the desire to be liked and accepted in society. This is most widely known as peer pressure. For example, a student begins smoking because their peers are smoking,

When the movie is finished, all your friends were saying how much they liked it. In this instance, if you were to suppress your own opinion and say that you liked the movie, you would be conforming.
In contrast, non-conformity is a deviation from social norms. This transpires when a person violates the expectations and norms of a group. This repeatedly occurs when a person chooses to act upon their own thoughts and intuition, in opposition to the expectations of the group, society, and culture in which they live. An example of non-conformity is attending a wedding and wearing only casual clothes when everybody else is dressed

For example, on the night of December 22nd, 2002, the Bra Boys had an altercation with off-duty members of the local police force. This event has ultimately resulted in the Bra Boy group being labelled as rebellious, young teens with criminal tendencies by some in the wider society. However, this view was challenged as a result of the actions of the Bra Boys during the Cronulla Riot. In this instance, the leaders of the Bra Boys were a crucial part in instigating the eventual peace between the Australian and Lebanese communities. As a result, the wider community now perceived the Bra Boys as respectful young adults, who valued equality between different cultures. From these instances, it is clear that the behaviours and values of the Bra Boys have influenced the way in which they are perceived by the wider society to a great extent, serving to both reinforce the negative stereotype surrounding the group, as well as challenge it and portray the group in a new