Essay On Private Conformity

In this journal, the topics that I will be discussing are public conformity, private conformity and the norm of reciprocity. Public conformity means a superficial change in behavior without a corresponding change of opinion that is produced by real or imagined pressure. This means people will go along with being told to do something, due to feeling pressure to comply. An example of this would be going to a wedding because you know that it is your responsibility to show up once you have already RSVP’d. You conform publicly because you know that it is what you’re supposed to do although you may not want to go at all. Private conformity means the change of beliefs that occur when a person privately accepts the position taken by others.
This weekend I would have liked to stay home and study for a big exam that I have on Monday. Unfortunately, I could not stay home and prepare for my exam as long as I had wanted to because I was being forced to go to a wedding. Upon finding out that I was being forced to go I found myself not wanting to go but then realizing that I needed to do what is right, I recognized this as public conformity. After my mom said that I had to go because it was the right thing to do. Having to go to a wedding because it is expected that a person would show up after saying that they would be attending the wedding. Under public conformity, it is expected by most to follow along with the group and to accept societal pressures. Another term that I had realized that I was dealing with was private conformity; I knew that I was dealing with this term when I had initially accepted going to the wedding. I had to act like I wanted to be there but deep down I did not want to go. I acted this way because if I had complained the whole car ride there it would have caused infighting among my family members, so instead of complaining I sat there and smiled and pretended that I wanted to be at the