Psychology

Conforming occurs when an single individuals opinion is different from the opinion of a group of individuals. According to Julia Wood (2009), it is not easy to maintain ones opinion when most of ones peers have a different opinion. People crave acceptance, and this explains the need to conform to what other individuals are doing or thinking (ChangingMinds.org).

Instructing an individual to conform is easy when one is charismatic. In order to make someone conform, or be obedient to a certain opinion, or a certain act, charisma is important, for it gives the person an individual the capacity to coax another individual into believing in something or to carry out a certain act. Also, instructing someone to conform, to be compliant or to obey will be easier not only if one is charismatic, but also if one is of a prestigious position, or perhaps has more power than other individuals in a certain group (Wood, 2009).

Apart from these, one must also be able to earn another individuals trust in order to be able to instruct them to either conform or to not conform. If the the individual feels that he or she can trust a certain individual, there are higher chances that he or she will be easily instructed or convinced by that individual into conforming or into not conforming (ChangingMinds.org). It is also important that one is well-informed before actually trying to convince another individual, because this will ensure that other people can trust his or her decisions and opinions.

While it may be easy for other people to instruct other people to conform, it is not easy to instruct them to not conform. This is because people want to belong however, sometimes, instructing other people to not conform can do them good. In summary, in order to be able to instruct someone into conforming or not conforming, one must be able to 1) gain the individuals trust, 2) be sure to have the proper arguments, and 3) have the right means to deliver such arguments (charisma).