The Relationship Between Conformity and Comprehensive Thinking Styles Among Emerging Adults

Abstract

Conformity, a pervasive social phenomenon, refers to the tendency of individuals to adjust their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours to match those of a majority or authoritative group. It is a type of social influence that involves altering one's beliefs or actions in order to blend in with the group. On the other hand, comprehensive thinking styles involve analytical and integrative cognitive approaches that prioritise thorough examination and independent evaluation of information. The primary objective of this study is to explore whether there exists a connection between an individual's propensity to conform and their preference for comprehensive thinking styles. It seeks to identify the underlying cognitive mechanisms that drive conformity behaviour and determine whether these mechanisms are compatible with comprehensive thinking patterns or in tension with them. This study examines the relationship between comprehensive thinking style and conformity. The sample data consisted of 145 emerging and budding adults who fall between the age of 18 to 25. These participants were from different colleges. The tools used in the study are Conformity Scale (CS) and Comprehensive Thinking Style Questionnaire (CTSQ). Data were analysed using SPSS. Spearman Rho correlation was used to find the correlation. The findings showed that there is a significant positive relationship between comprehensive thinking styles and conformity (p<0.01). The result also showed a positive correlation between conformity and one of the subscales of comprehensive thinking styles, i.e. preference for effortful thinking.