Day 19 – Q 3.With the help of suitable examples, examine the ways in which social influence alters one’s moral compass.
3. With the help of suitable examples, examine the ways in which social influence alters one’s moral compass.
उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से, उन तरीकों की जांच करें जिनमें सामाजिक प्रभाव किसी के नैतिक कम्पास को बदल देता है।
Introduction:
Social influence is described as the change in the person’s behaviour, feelings thoughts, attitude that results from the influence of another individual in the society. It can be intentionally or unintentionally, direct or indirect with the help of mere communication or without.
Body:
There are some principles which play important role in social influence like reciprocity, consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity.
Social influence reflected in normative influence or informational influence. Normative influence is based on the process of socialization and imbibed values, norms in order to express group solidarity. It helps to build the attitude and moral compass of a person. Whereas informational influence nudges person to take decisions based acquired knowledge.
Social influence is key to bring behavioural changes to solve the huge crisis faced by humanity like climate change, Solid waste management. Use of various campaigns for changing human behaviour with the help of popular personalities like UN messenger of peace for climate change Leonardo Decaprio, Emma Watson for gender equality. In India, Amitabh Bachchan was made ambassador for various social schemes.
It utilizes the popular liking of these personalities in bringing desired change in the behavior, belief of masses, to drive public opinion against various social taboo and social issues like caste consciousness, racism. Even news of any celebrity quitting smoking can bring social change.
Authority is another principle which brings social influence; personal participation from Prime Minister in Swatch Bharat Mission nudged common masses to participate in health and sanitation mission. People responded with reciprocity in surrendering the gas subsidy. These are few examples of social influence altering the moral compass of individuals.
Various stories of people showing exemplary actions in difficult times like floods, war, earthquakes create moral strength in masses acts as social proof.
Conclusion:
Social influence is the way in which external factors produce change in an individual. It guides the way person form his/her thoughts and organize overt behavior and actions. Along with persuasion it can bring drastic results in altering the moral compass of individuals.
