THE PHENOMENON OF CONFORMISM IN PUBLIC AND OFFICIAL ACTIVITY: MORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

The article considers the moral and psychological perspectives of the phenomenon of conformism in public service. The urgency of studying the phenomenon of conformism in this type of activity is due to the need to counteract conservatism and the circular guarantee, the dominance of group interests over socially significant. It is noted that the phenomenon of conformism, which is widely studied in psychology, philosophy, sociology, requires a more thorough scientific reflection in the domestic public administration research. When studying the moral and psychological perspectives of the phenomenon of conformism in public service activities, the advantages and deadlocks of this phenomenon in the public service environment are revealed. Conformism is said to have a positive effect on public service activities, as it affects the maintenance of professional norms, forces employees to act and behave in a uniform manner, which makes behavior predictable and reliable, and builds trust in the public service. However, subordination, identification and internalization as types of conformism can lead to exaggeration of the importance of hierarchical dependence, blind trust in managers, confusion in situations with risk elements, inability to innovate, support unconditional and blind adherence to group norms, closing the “bureaucracy” removing them from citizens. It turns out that the personal tendency to conformism is more pronounced in situations where there is no strong social pressure; Conformism is not only a personality trait of the bureaucrat, but also formed and manifested under the influence of sociocultural and organizational environment. It is concluded that the most productive and ethically sensitive will be a culture of public service that combines individualist and collectivist values, independence and sensitivity to others.