Socialization Ambiguity and Conformity

Introduction
Socialization is a unique element of cultural psychology. It is a broad concept that differs
from one society to another. In recent times, rapid globalization has had an impact on
socialization as opportunities that allow for the same have been affected. Especially for
developing adolescents, inconsistent messages and expectations on what is regarded as
appropriate social behavior have become rampant. Such is known as socialization ambiguity. It
occurs due to various factors, such as cultural change occasioned by globalization. Effects of
ambiguity vary depending on the level of conformity within a group. Conformity is the process
whereby a group of people changes their beliefs, behavior, or actions to match closely with those
of the groups within which they belong. The paper explores the concepts of socialization
ambiguity and conformity within the context of cultural psychology and explains how the two
relate in the contexts of adolescent development.
Socialization Ambiguity
Changes in culture tend to have various implications on the process of socialization.
Socialization agents such as extended families, parents, and peers often lose their status as agents
in the process of socialization. Although these agents continue to play an important role in
facilitating socialization, other channels of socialization emerge (McDade & Worthman, 2004).
These include the media, schools, and interactions with people from other cultures. These new
channels shape the developmental experiences of individuals in various ways. Besides, as
changes occur, new developmental goals may come up. The impact of an individual’s

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experiences with the different agents and channels is a function of both their social ecology as
well as exposure.
Socialization ambiguity can be problematic and even lead to stress among adolescents.
While globalization in itself is not a problematic process, it may have negative implications that
will consequently affect individual wellbeing. In some cases, the person-environment processes
have a huge impact on defining individual experience. Suppose changes occurring due to
globalization overwhelm an adolescent because they may introduce non-traditional ways of life
that conflict with the traditional ways of life. In the context of cultural change, the extent to
which socialization ambiguity is experienced depends on other factors such as parenting styles,
socialization goals, attitudes of involved parties towards non-traditional ways of life, and the
degree of conflict between the child and the parent.
Due to fear of social rejection and even ambiguous socialization contexts, adolescents
choose to conform in exchange for acceptance. The peer group status compels adolescents to
accept the side favored by their peers because that is what will earn them a position within the
group (Nesdale et al., 2014). With the introduction of new media and expanded channels of
socialization, most adolescents have found themselves following trends online because their
peers are advocating for them. Social media today is playing an active role in socialization.
Ambiguity occurs when the norms and behavior advocated for online do not match what is
advocated at home. Studies show that adolescents tend to conform to and follow social patterns
within social groups, both online and offline.
Conformity

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Variations in conformity and social influence vary widely depending on whether a
society is individualistic or collectivist. Individuals in collectivist societies engage in more
conforming and compliant behavior (Kagitcibasi, 2000). They value conformity as a social
value. Groups that are considered important to the individual, such as family and peers, have the
highest level of impact on behavior. Since groups are important, individuals adopt a more
conforming attitude towards them. It is considered necessary to belong to a group. Changes that
affect a group also affect people at an individual level. On the contrary, individualistic societies
do not value conformity. Individuals within these societies engage in less-conforming and less-
compliant behaviors. While it is considered appropriate to belong to certain ‘in-groups’ such as
family and friends, individualism is also highly valued. People do not necessarily have to
conform to belong to groups. This minimizes the influence that groups may have on others.
Socialization ambiguity is less likely to affect individuals within these groups because they do
not feel the pressure to conform to values and ideals that contrast with their own.

Conformity occurs when people give in to societal pressures. People conform out of a
need to feel accepted and liked by a larger group. The desire to be a part f a group and fear of
rejection also make people conform (Gould, 2021). There is also a desire to access information
and obtain a reward from the group, which may not necessarily be material, but emotional
attachment and the group feeling experienced from being part of a group may make people
conform.

Social media provides new and interesting ways of interacting with each other. The way
in which teenagers interact with one another online leads to a lack of individuality. The impact is
higher if the adolescents are in a collectivist society. There is an increasingly blurred line
between what happens online and in real life. The way in which individuals present themselves

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online for others to see is usually an extension of their real selves. Thus, social media tends to
promote conformity. Today, behavior is not only shaped by the traditional socialization agents
such as parents and peers within the local community. On the contrary, people are interacting
with peers from miles away through different online platforms, consequently influencing their
behavior. According to (Kagitcibasi (2000), social media influence is largest among teenagers in
societies that are collectivist in nature. Their counterparts from individualistic societies may still
consume content online but may not necessarily be influenced because conformity in such
societies is not highly valued. This explains why social media trends spread more in some
societies and not in others.
Conclusion
Overall, socialization processes vary widely. The cultural changes occasioned by
globalization have led to increased changes in how socialization occurs in today’s society.
Socialization agents and channels have increased. People’s behavior is not only a product of their
immediate environment, such as parents and peers within the immediate environment. Social
media has broadened the scope of socialization. Social influence now is not constrained by
geographical boundaries. Sometimes, socialization ambiguity may occur, especially when an
individual is still developing and is exposed to various agents without proper guidance. In an
individualistic society, socialization ambiguity may not be prevalent because levels of
conformity are low. People are not open to group think but instead constrain their behavior to
individual values and norms. However, in collectivist societies where conformity is common,
socialization ambiguity may be prevalent because individuals tend to subscribe more to
groupthink, and a lot of emphases is placed on group acceptance. Overall, the level of conformity
within a society affects the extent to which socialization ambiguity occurs.

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References

Gould, Marie 2021. ‘Conformity’, Salem Press Encyclopedia, viewed 1 July 2022,
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Kagitcibasi, C. (2000). (Cross) cultural psychology. In K. Pawlik, & M. Rosenzweig (Eds.), The
international handbook of psychology. (pp. 328-347).
McDade, T. W., & Worthman, C. M. (2004). Socialization Ambiguity in Samoan Adolescents: A
Model for Human Development and Stress in the Context of Culture Change. Journal of
Research on Adolescence (Wiley-Blackwell), 14(1), 49–72. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.umgc.edu/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2004.01401003.x
Nesdale, D., Zimmer, G. M. J., & Roxburgh, N. (2014). Peer Group Rejection in Childhood:
Effects of Rejection Ambiguity, Rejection Sensitivity, and Social Acumen. Journal of
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