Conformity+to+Norms

=Conformity to Norms= Zaltman and Duncan continue their discussion of social barriers to change with a description of what they call conformity to norms. Any group whether a school, business, athletic team, etc establishes their own rules or norms that are followed by members of the group. Zaltman and Duncan further explain that in order to be a member of a particular group these rules must be followed and social systems can establish specific penalties for non-conformity. Conformity to norms is extremely powerful and has a deep-rooted psychological source found in the members of a group. As stated in the text //Social Psychology: Third Edition// by Eliot R. Smith and Diane M. Mackie, "when people do not conform to their group norms, it undermines the identity we derive from that group. People who conform feel happier than people who do not conform." When a change or innovation requires members of a group to deviate from norms and potentially incur group "punishment," a powerful barrier to change is created.

According to the authors, the change agent has one vital question to answer in order to deal with this powerful form of change resistance. This question is, "Why do people participate in this norm?" By having this piece of information, the change agent can alter the change to meet the need satisfied by the norm.