A common issue in modern life is conformity and taking on the views and opinions of those around us and the larger crowd in general. Understanding the biological basis for this can be very helpful.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
Throughout this article series, the biological basis, in particular the neurophysiological concepts and principles, underlying the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete have been discussed. Predominantly these are applied towards the development of skills, strategies, and tactics which form the foundation of the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance. As discussed throughout the article series, this approach allows us to leverage our biology in the pursuit of these objectives. The particular advantages and benefits of this framework is that it is based upon and consistent with our underlying biology.
A common issue in modern day life is the degree of conformity which occurs amongst many individuals and within society at large. While on the surface this may seem to be helpful in the sense of creating a harmonious culture, there are many drawbacks. It is important to understand this issue so that we can better address it on both an individual and societal level. From my perspective, this issue can lead to significant hindrances in developing understanding and knowledge pertaining to a wide range and variety of topics and issues. This includes those which significantly impact our ability to pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
At first, it is important to understand what is meant by this issue of conformity and following the crowd. Specifically, this refers to situations in which we may outwardly agree with the opinions, actions, and narratives proposed by other individuals. We may do this not because we truly agree or believe these concepts and ideas, but rather so that we are included within the larger group and community. This can foster a sense of belonging. It is important to note that a sense of belonging is a strong cue towards anchored and grounded states. This has been discussed in past articles, including the discussion of the strategies underlying the practices of successful professional coaches and their ability to create a sense of belonging amongst their team which was a paramount feature.
While it is true that a sense of belonging is a strong cue towards anchored and grounded states, it is important to understand that this can only be the case if it is authentic and genuine in nature. In the example of the professional coaches alluded to above and described in more detail in past articles, the sense of belonging which the coaches were able to cultivate was true and genuine. When we are considering the issue of conformity, however, the sense of belonging is frequently false. It is not based on a common shared viewpoint or belief, rather it is an artificial sense of belonging in an attempt to feel included.
Emerging from the sense of conformity in order to feel included within the larger community, several additional traits typically emerge. This can include a false agreement with ideas, narratives, opinions, behaviors, and actions. Furthermore, this is associated with a significant fear to speak one’s own mind and express one’s true opinion. This fear emerges from a concern that doing so would lead to being excluded from the larger group or community. As noted in past articles, this fear is a significant cue towards activated, attacking, anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states.
The above discussion hopefully serves to strongly inform how the drive to be included within a group can lead to significant issues with conformity, agreement with ideas and actions with which we do not truly believe, as well as a fear to speak one’s own mind. These attributes can become a significant detriment to true understanding and dialogue between individuals, advancement of knowledge, and application of ideas which can directly impact our ability to pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
Ultimately, the issue of conformity and taking on the opinions of the larger crowd is a manifestation of either becoming stuck within protective and defensive states or a desire to avoid being excluded from the group. Either way, the end result is similar. In essence, we sacrifice our own ideas, values, and opinions in order to obtain a sense that we are included within the group, even though this does not represent true belonging.
In order to maintain our position within our perceived group and community, we may express ideas and opinions, as well as pursue actions and behaviors which are not in alignment with our true values and beliefs. While we may be doing this in order to try to avoid shifting into activated, attacking, anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states it is actually the case that these strategies can lead to biological state shifts in this direction due to the discordance and dissonance with our true values and beliefs.
The above discussion is intended to inform why it is often the case that we express ideas or agreement with opinions which may not truly align with our beliefs or, at times, may in fact be directly opposed to them. Ultimately the biological drive to be included within a larger group thereby promoting anchored and grounded states can become so strong as to motivate these strategies. For my perspective, this can be counteracted through implementing the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete, such that we strengthen our anchored and grounded states and become less reliant upon external cues and, in particular, relational cues to shift into anchored and grounded states.
It is also the case that if we are to express our opinion in situations in which it is different from the larger community, it will be essential that we do so from anchored and grounded states. As discussed in past articles, the attribute of mental agility which allows us to consider other ideas and alternate explanations and opinions emerges from anchored and grounded states and is significantly reduced within activated, attacking anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states. As a result, in order to express our true opinions and consider those of others, it is essential that we strengthen our anchored and grounded states and increase our nervous system flexibility, such that we are able to shift back to these states as needed. This allows mental agility to emerge.
The promotion of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance is the focus of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. The concepts discussed above apply truly across all aspects of life. In all domains of present day society, the issues of conformity and taking on the opinions, narratives, actions, and behaviors of those around us is becoming more and more common and important. In my opinion, this is only to our detriment. We are truly empowered when we are able to express our own ideas and consider the opinions and viewpoints of those around us. In order to do this, we must reduce the degree of conformity and increase the degree of true and genuine agreement with others, when it exists, such that an authentic sense of belonging within the larger community exists. It should also be noted that genuine connection can exist even in the presence of disagreement, if we are able to fully express our opinions and consider those of others. This relies upon the ability to discuss topics and issues of agreement as well as, perhaps more importantly, disagreement. Mental agility is essential in this regard.
Ultimately, as humans, we should all belong within the larger community, even if our viewpoints and ideas may not always be in agreement. While this may be a Polyana type of idea, particularly given the current environment, it is nonetheless an ideal we should strive towards. The ability to leverage our own biology through strengthening anchored and grounded states and increasing nervous system flexibility is an important element towards achieving this ideal.
To learn more, including about polyvagal informed coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
REFERENCE
Rose T. Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions. New York, Grand Central Publishing, 2022.