Conformity to Social Roles

Conformity to social roles is when an individual adopts a particular behaviour and belief, while in a particular social situation.

For example, whilst at school your teacher adopts the behaviour and beliefs of a ‘teacher’, which may be very different to the behaviour and beliefs they adopt with their friends at the weekend.

This type of conformity represents identification, where a person changes their public behaviour and private beliefs, but only while they are in a particular social role.

People learn how to behave is certain situations by observing the social roles of others and conforming to this behaviour. Therefore, a new teacher will quickly adopt the behaviours and beliefs of other teachers in their school, as they conform to this social role.