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Conformity and Nonconformity

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Conformity and Nonconformity

Read the case study and examine the decision pathway. Answer each question using evidence from the material and relevant ideas about relationships, social influence and health. For extended responses, explain your reasoning and consider more than one perspective.

Case study: The group chat

A group of Year 12 students are organising a weekend gathering. In a group chat, several students suggest that everyone should drink alcohol because “it’s what our group does”. Some students agree and choose to drink because they feel expected to. Tahnee does not want to drink. She worries that saying no will lead to jokes or being left out. Mei also feels uncomfortable but privately messages Tahnee to say they will support her. Another student, Alex, replies in the chat: “People can come and have a good time without drinking. Let’s make sure there are other drinks too.” The group decides to offer non-alcoholic options and arrange a lift home for anyone who needs one. A few students still make jokes about Tahnee’s choice, but others challenge the comments. The gathering goes ahead, and Tahnee and Mei attend without drinking. This fictional case study shows both conformity (adjusting behaviour to fit group expectations) and nonconformity (not following an expectation). Social influence can be direct, such as teasing, or indirect, such as anticipating what others might think. Responses vary with relationships, group norms, power and the support available.

Making sense of social influence

Use the case study, not assumptions about what all young people do, to support your answers.

1.In the case study, identify one example of conformity and one example of nonconformity. Explain what group expectation each example responds to.

2.Which option best describes the main social pressure Tahnee experiences?

A. Informational influence: Tahnee is unsure what is true and copies others to gain accurate information.
B. Normative influence: Tahnee anticipates teasing or exclusion and feels pressure to fit in.
C. Legitimate authority: a person with an official role orders Tahnee to drink.
D. Reward power: Tahnee is offered a formal reward for drinking.

3.Sort each action as mainly supportive of individual choice or mainly pressuring someone to conform. Write “supportive” or “pressuring” beside each: (a) Mei privately offers Tahnee support; (b) a student jokes about Tahnee’s decision; (c) Alex suggests offering different drinks; (d) someone says the group will exclude anyone who does not drink.

4.True or false: choosing not to follow a group norm is automatically harmful to relationships.

TrueFalse

5.Explain how the group’s response changes the situation for Tahnee and Mei. Include one example of a protective factor and one example of a risk factor from the case study.

Relationships, health and response

Think about how group norms can affect wellbeing, and how people can respond without shaming or stereotyping others.

6.Match each concept to the best example from the case study. Concepts: (1) direct social pressure; (2) anticipated social pressure; (3) peer support; (4) inclusive group norm. Examples: (A) Tahnee worries she may be left out; (B) the group offers non-alcoholic drinks; (C) jokes are made about Tahnee’s choice; (D) Mei tells Tahnee they will support her.

1. Direct social pressure
2. Anticipated social pressure
3. Peer support
4. Inclusive group norm

A. Tahnee worries she may be left out
B. The group offers non-alcoholic drinks
D. Mei tells Tahnee they will support her
C. Jokes are made about Tahnee’s choice

7.Give two respectful actions a friend could take if someone is being pressured to drink. At least one action should involve communicating with the group.

8.Identify one possible short-term effect of repeated teasing on a person’s wellbeing or relationships, and explain how it could happen.

9.A student says, “Everyone in our year drinks, so Tahnee is being difficult.” Identify one problem with this statement and rewrite it in a fairer, evidence-based way.

10.Evaluate the group’s response. Explain one way it supports positive relationships and one improvement that could further reduce pressure. Use evidence from the case study.

11.Complete the statement: A group norm is . Give one example of how a norm can change to become more inclusive.