A value is a concept of what is acceptable in terms of behaviour. It is a general principle indicating the general lines of acceptable behaviour. In applying these values, a person or group will develop norms and norms, in turn are judged according to the group’s (or member’s) internal value system.

When they enter groups, people manifest behaviours that express anxious or uncertain feelings and thoughts about who they are in relation to others, who the others are in relation to themselves, and who the others are in relation to each other.

This confusion is made worse in the absence of a code of conduct, or rules of behaviour. Suddenly, out-of-group behaviour is inapplicable and questions arise: “What may others do to me here?”; “What may others do to each other here?”; “What may I do to others here?” ; “What are the rules of the game?

We conform to these norms without even knowing that we feel these pressures. For example, we automatically raise our hands when we want to be recognized, we say hello to those we know when entering a room and expect a certain order to a formal meeting.

4.2.2. Reinforcement can increase the performance of desired behaviour and punishment can discourage undesired behaviour, even though the target individual remains consciously unaware of the manipulation.

Therapy groups and self-help groups rely heavily on the process of social comparison and perception of similar experience and feelings in others. These are primary factors in helping people feel good about themselves and in increasing self-esteem. (Brothen and Shovholt, 1981).

7.2. Tendencies to Create Social Reality

If membership is desired, people are more likely to be influenced by other members of the group. If the group is a reference group for a person, he or she will be especially influenced by the norms of the group, because we want to “fit in”.

It is pointless to ask whether group norms are good or bad, but when considering the norms of a group, we need to ask the following questions:

Some topics in this essay:
Conformity Conformity, Law Effect, DEVELOPMENT Whilst, P8 Norms, DEFINING NORMS, CHANGING NORMS, DEVIANCE NORMS, MULTIPLE MEMBERSHIP, QUO Cooperating, Intrapersonal Conflict, norms develop, norms norms, norms values, conform norms, “what here” “what, norms rules, norms exist, direct influence, status quo, “what here”, here” “what, unique current situation, create social reality, second-order change change, here” “what here”,