How do authority, conformity, and groups influence behavior?

Since COVID barged into our lives a few years ago, we have experienced firsthand how
social we are as humans. Media outlets bombard us with stories of loneliness and isolation, and
everyone can cite examples (perhaps in our own lives) of what the 17th Century Cleric and Poet
John Donne stated in his XXX Poem,
“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a
part of the main; … any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in
mankind.” (Donne)

We are part of humankind and are interconnected in many ways: as members of a family, a
neighborhood, a community, a state, or a nation! As social beings who participate in society,
norms and expectations govern our behaviors. As social beings, those around us can influence
our behavior in many ways. This short analysis will look at how authority, conformity, and
groups affect how people act.

Let us begin with authority.

Authority affects obedience. Obedience is “that modification that is manifested carrying out the
instructions issued by figures given authority.” (Bocchiaro 275). Those in positions of power can
influence the actions and behaviors of those over whom they have authority. In other words,
authority is the power and control a person or group has over others. People who see someone as
an authority figure are likelier to do what they ask of them.

In our society, authority figures can influence another individual’s responses by exerting this
power. It is the social situation that provides authority to this individual. A parent, teachers, or
managers are all just human beings, but the social situation gives them the power to exert that
authority. If a parent, a teacher, or a manager has authority over someone, and that person does
something wrong, they can punish them based on their social status. A parent can take away
privileges, a teacher can suspend or fail a student, and a manager can leave the individual
jobless.

With this power, an authority figure can influence behavior and get an individual to comply.
Different things can affect obedience, like how hard the order is to follow and how close the
person in charge is. The closer the authority figure, the higher the likelihood of obedience. Of
course, the magnitude of the consequence of disobedience can also affect the level of
compliance, so, to some degree, fear is part of this equation. The topics of fear and compliance
are out of the scope of this analysis, so instead, we will move to the next topic on our list.

Conformity refers to changing one’s attitude or behavior to match a perceived social norm
(Burger). When individuals conform, they change their beliefs or behaviors to align with the
group, often because they want to be accepted or fit in. The conformist hopes to fit in by
adhering to perceived social norms.
 “What causes all this conformity? To start, humans may possess an inherent
tendency to imitate the actions of others. Although we usually are not aware of
it, we often mimic the gestures, body posture, language, talking speed, and
many other behaviors of the people we interact with.” (Burger)

As we conform through this mimicry, we become more like each other, copying each other’s
behaviors. Researchers call this the chameleon effect and tell us it is the “source of the observed
smoother social interaction and interpersonal bonding.” (Chartrand 897). In other words, the
more we mimic and are alike - the more we fit in! The more we fit, the smoother our social
interactions will be.

As social beings, we desire to fit into society, follow social norms, and not become social
outcasts. If we keep this conformity at the hairstyle, mannerisms, and clothing level, it is
innocent enough. However, others define conformism to a more worrisome level as “a change in
thinking, feeling or acting following pressure by a group.” (Bocchiaro 275) Considering this
definition, society and people can suffer more severe ramifications. This type of conformism
makes people a target to pressure, and this is what is commonly known as peer pressure. This
pressure to fit into a social mold provided by the group can lead to the loss of individualism and
a group-think mentality. The group does not always know best, and a pressured individual could
be capable of things they would never do otherwise.

Whatever we call it, the process of becoming more like each other and conforming to how others
act will lead us to behave like others, possibly like everyone else. If researchers observed that
social interactions are smoother if we act and behave like each other, then it is no coincidence
that mimicry happens unintentionally - almost like an instinct. This phenomenon makes us pause
for concern as we see extreme groups forming in America and worldwide. Groups may appear
extreme initially but can quickly gather followers and believers through conformity.

Group Influence
Groups, whether formal or informal, can also influence behavior by providing social support or
pressures, a sense of belonging, and a shared identity. Groups can and do exert influence on
behaviors. Group dynamics can lead individuals to adopt group norms and values, and group
pressure can drive individuals to conform to group expectations. We will come across many
different groups as social beings in continuous social contexts. Not every group will influence
any individual’s behavior - there needs to be a connection between the group and the individual.

As we have seen, authority, conformity, and group influences can each play a role in shaping
individual behavior, particularly when people seek approval, acceptance, or a sense of belonging.
It is an inescapable fact of life. From childhood to old age, we are part of a social world, and our
growth and success depend on how we interact with and relate to others. Relationships and
transactions are smoother when we fit in. People talk to each other and share their thoughts and
feelings, changing behavior and worldviews to fit better into that world.

What is the relationship between a person and society? Which is more important in explaining
how people think and act: individual factors or social relationships? In a global world, we are
connected to and influenced by people and events - actual or fictitious - from every corner of the
globe. However, the groups we belong to and have a deeper connection to will have the most
significant impact on us and our behaviors.

Donne, John. Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, ed. Anthony Raspa. Montreal and
London: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1975

Bocchiaro, Piero, & Zamperini, Adriano. “Conformity, obedience, disobedience: The

power of the situation.” Psychology–Selected papers, vol. 275, 2012, pp. 294.

Burger, J. M. (2023). Conformity and obedience. In R. Biswas-Diener & E. Diener

(Eds), Noba textbook series: Psychology. Champaign, IL: DEF publishers. Retrieved
from http://noba.to/hkray8fs

Chartrand, T., & Bargh, J. “The chameleon effect: the perception-behavior link and social
interaction.” Journal of personality and social psychology, 1999,