The phenomenon of social influence is the subject of close interest of specialists in various disciplines that study humans in their environment. The specifics of interaction between an individual and a group in different spheres of social life, which influence the dynamics of social relations and social structure, necessitate the study of mechanisms and cause that underlie changes in the parties’ behavior. One of the most complex and understudied forms of social etiquette is conformism, manifested both by individuals and whole groups of people.
Being in a cult is a way of life without any alternative: a person is convinced that he cannot exist either psychologically or physically outside this artificial world. Jim Jones, head of the People’s Temple, shocked the world when he killed himself after previously destroying a group of inspectors sent by Congress who had come to check on complaints of abuse against cult members (Moore, 2018). He persuaded hundreds of his followers to go after him and commit suicide after poisoning those members of the cult who could not do it themselves. The result was the death of hundreds of people, including children, who were poisoned by their elders.
The influence of the presence of other people, and group interaction, on human mental processes and states, define uniformity in norms, assessments, opinions, and behavior; mechanisms of imitation, suggestion, and conformity are activated. Most of those who joined Jones were people who saw worse than good in life. While actively supporting the belief in his followers that life is suffering, decay, and pain, Jones awakened in them a sense of their exclusivity. Jones was a charismatic clergyman; he liked the way people listened to the priests (Mass suicide at Jonestown, 2021). Some believe that he realized from the beginning that attracting large numbers of people meant getting their money’s worth. The phenomenon of Jim Jones himself, which led people to mass suicide and the murder of children, requires an in-depth analysis.
The People’s Temple was something new to Americans since everyone was welcome: white and black people, Indians, and Asians alike. Jones preached a mixture of elements of Christianity with communist and socialist ideas, but he placed particular emphasis on social justice. In this way, he created a distinct culture for his followers. People were attracted by a sense of spiritual unity, where black or poor people did not feel excluded. To this end, Jones asked everyone to come in the most straightforward and not too flashy clothing. Having made an initial commitment, one feels not entitled to break one’s word by cheating on the cause. To justify the perception of this initial commitment, the cult member often agreed to do more and more to bind himself even more seriously. In this way, the leader gains the people’s trust and uses this social power to strengthen the obedience of his followers.
Conformism occurs when individuals change their behavior or attitude to harmonize with the tone or mood of the group. Jones’s goal was to correct, to change the behavior of another person. It is difficult to foresee this form of conduct; in real life, it is almost impossible to state that the action or judgment in question is a consequence of the conformist role of the individual (Shiraev & Levy, 2016). Thus, conformism is a unique phenomenon of social life, different from other social phenomena, and acts as an integral part of the interaction between the individual and the group.
A modern man cannot verify all the information that comes to him and, therefore, often relies on the majority’s opinion. Johnson’s use of social influence also applies to leaders in modern society. Nowadays, social impact can be found everywhere: politicians use different propaganda, media personalities use television, bloggers use social media, local leaders use their status. The phenomenon of conformism is complex and cannot be interpreted unambiguously. The peculiarities of interaction between the individual and the group as the essential elements of the social structure are among the most complex problems of sociology. The study of these processes is relevant at the micro-level and in a broader social context.
References
History.com Editors. (2021). Mass suicide at Jonestown. HISTORY. Web.
Moore, R. (2018). Understanding Jonestown and Peoples Temple. ABC-CLIO.
Shiraev, E. B., & Levy, D. A. (2016). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications. Routledge.