Question

Colin steps into a crowded elevator. After selecting a floor, he turns around and faces the back of the elevator, making the other passengers visibly uncomfortable. After Colin gets off the elevator, one passenger remarks to another, "What was wrong with that man? Doesn't he know the societal rule that people in an elevator should always face the front?" This remark best illustrates the _____ criterion for abnormality.

Answer 1

The passenger's remark exemplifies vulnerability to social pressure, highlighting the importance of conformity to societal norms and the discomfort caused when these norms are breached.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passenger's remark about Colin facing the back of the elevator and making others uncomfortable illustrates the vulnerability to social pressure criterion for abnormality, exemplified in the context of conformity to social norms. When individuals do not adhere to the unspoken rules and expectations of behavior within a specific context, such as the direction one faces in an elevator, it can lead to discomfort and judgment from others. This is a reflection of society's reliance on conformity and the subtle rules that govern our daily interactions, a concept explored through breaching experiments and emergent norm theory. These theories and experiments, like those conducted by Solomon Asch, help us to understand the pressures of conformity and how societal norms influence individual behavior.