Stemming from cultural roots and differences, there are contrasting views regarding society and community. Individualistic cultures will emphasize the importance of independence and personal value, while collective cultures signify the bond and importance of community and relationships within their environment. This however, is not the debate of selfishness vs. selflessness, but a commentary on the impact it brings to the perception of the individual. This change results in social conformity because of the differences in ideals. Individualistic psychology is an essential perspective for one to hold, because it allows one to form their own ideology and cultural set of beliefs rather than allowing society to determine one's viewpoint.
Collective culture influences one’s perception of themself. A person’s mindset in serving their community influences the types of characteristics they value. This can be dangerous when the relationships in that community are limited to a small population. The collective culture is restricted from a geographic standpoint, therefore creating some difficulty towards meeting new people outside of one’s own culture and viewpoint. Social conformity, often visible in hindsight, delays the development of the human mind. When humans are prone to a certain way of living, the changes in environmental stimuli can enable humans to acquire different perspectives, beliefs, and living habits. Just in the same way social psychologists have uncovered that collectivist cultures (typically evident in Asia and Europe) differ from individualistic cultures (like those found in the United States), cultural and geographical location take part in defining the minds of adolescents.
Just as conformity stems from our environment and upbringing, it forms from our school environment as well. From authoritative influence and peer pressure within the school environment, some students change their behavior. They are pressured into acting and behaving in a certain manner that a school environment deems as correct. Individuals tend to follow the majority due to fear of isolation and rejection. When a person’s actions do not align with the beliefs and cultural values brought up by their environment, the collective group rejects and isolates those individuals. As seen in many teenagers today, discontentment with the school culture leads to hatred and resentment from the individuals within that environment. This hostility can lead to the pressure of conforming to these beliefs and ideology, causing detachments from their own identities. By contrast, the individualistic culture promotes the importance of becoming comfortable in your own identity, as well as seeking independence from a hostile environment. In education, students must grow into their oneness, supporting their own values. Social conformity has become so impactful it psychologically affects people even today.
The racist ideologies in different cultural groups are still in effect today. For instance, the historical trauma experienced by African and/or Black Americans have influenced their psyche. The continued psychological and mental trauma during enslavement, Jim Crow laws, the Civil Rights Movement, and the current police brutality support the continuous oppression of African Americans. This has impacted their mental health, contributing to a lower economic status, housing segregation, and mass incarceration. As these cruelties happened to a large group of individuals from war, slavery, terrorism, and more, this has caused a collective trauma felt by the African American community, even as society evolved. As a result, there have been treatments to support individual strengths which may benefit those within the community. The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) provides a 16 question introduction to receiving cultural information that shows relevance to a mental health assessment (citation). CFI’s 12 supplementary modules also portray the significance of cultural competency and emphasizing self-care.
In my personal experiences, the combination of my parents’ cultural backgrounds allowed me to garner my self-sufficient perspective and independence. Seeing how my mother was encouraged by her parents to pursue a career where she is not completely dependent on her spouse, and has her own true passions that she can pursue, I became inspired to uphold my own family and academic responsibilities, committing to my own schedule and taking charge of my business club by handling a lot of the functionalities and coordination of events as my own responsibility.
The individualistic culture does not promote a self-centered worldview, but it rather prioritizes an individual’s well-being rather than appease a collective culture's ideologies, beliefs, and expectations. In my perspective, society must normalize becoming accustomed to ourselves and our own perspective, rather than conforming to a community’s ideology because they view it to be appropriate. Adolescents must not blindly fall into a system of beliefs in fear of rejection, and people cannot suppress their environment simply because it is the majority group.
On a personal note, I find there to be great importance of community, as long as that communal environment is prospering growth and advancement in ourselves. For teeneagers, peer groups are some of the most important factors in our lives, but it is imperative to find ourselves in an environment where we can all grow and evolve without the consequence of social conformity.
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