Conformity
Read Conformity and check the IELTS Reading answers. During your childhood, there will have been some kind of craze which affected all the people in your school. It may have been to do with a particular toy or possibly a must-have item of clothing. It may have been something as simple as a type of…
Passage preview
During your childhood, there will have been some kind of craze which affected all the people in your school. It may have been to do with a particular toy or possibly a must-have item of clothing. It may have been something as simple as a type of pen or as expensive as an electronic games console. Fashion designers, toy manufacturers and anyone else involved in the retail trade love conformity. Set up a craze, especially in the young, and everyone will go for it. In fact, it’s an ideal way to sell huge quantities of merchandise. The levels of conformity in consumerism are phenomenal. When you actually stand back and consider how easily we are persuaded that having certain items is the only way we can ensure peace of mind, you see what an important concept conformity is.
Vocabulary from this passage
9 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- blatantly adverb
In an extremely obvious and unsubtle way, often completely unashamedly and without any attempt at concealment
The corporation blatantly disregarded crucial environmental regulations in order to maximize their short-term financial profits.
- compliance noun
The formal action or fact of complying with a wish, command, or strict regulatory framework
The manufacturing facility was temporarily shut down for failing to maintain compliance with federal safety protocols.
- conformity noun
Strict compliance with established standards, rules, or laws; behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions
The rigid corporate culture demanded absolute conformity, actively discouraging any form of individual creative expression.
- contradict verb
To firmly deny the truth of a statement by asserting the opposite; to be inherently in conflict with
The newly discovered fossil records fundamentally contradict previously established evolutionary timelines.
- dissent verb
To hold or publicly express opinions that fundamentally oppose those previously or officially held by authorities
Several prominent academics began to dissent from the widely accepted sociological theory following the anomalous experimental results.
- internalize verb
To permanently make attitudes, values, or behaviors part of one's nature through unconscious psychological assimilation
Through rigorous schooling, young students often deeply internalize the societal expectations and cultural norms of their communities.
- peer group noun
A social demographic consisting of individuals of approximately the same age, social status, and communal interests
Adolescents are heavily influenced by their peer group when formulating their independent political and social ideologies.
- phenomenal adjective
Highly extraordinary or extremely remarkable; exceptionally good or unusually great in size or scale
The tech startup experienced a phenomenal rate of expansion during its first fiscal year.
- yield verb
To reluctantly give way to arguments, external demands, or coercive pressure; to emotionally or physically surrender
The government ultimately refused to yield to the immense political pressure exerted by corporate lobbyists.
Answers with explanations
- 27. YES
The text explains that childhood crazes can range from a cheap, simple pen to an expensive electronic console. This directly supports the claim that crazes can centre on items of **any value**. Therefore, the statement is YES.
- 28. NOT GIVEN
The text mentions that young people are prone to crazes, but it never compares their current vulnerability to how they acted in the past. Since there is no statement about whether children are **more vulnerable now than they used to be**, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 29. NOT GIVEN
The passage discusses how easily consumers are persuaded to buy things, but it does not mention consumers making **quick decisions** while actually inside **shops**. Since this specific claim is not present in the text, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 30. NO
The statement claims Crutchfield's definition is the **most reliable**. The text directly contradicts this by pointing out a flaw in Crutchfield's definition and asserting that **A better definition is given by Aronson**. Therefore, the answer is NO.
- 31. beans
The summary mentions people guessing how many of a certain item were in a container. The text specifies they were asked to **estimate the number of beans in a bottle**. Therefore, the correct missing noun is **beans**.
- 32. group
The summary notes that people opted for an estimate given by a certain entity. The text says that subjects ultimately **stayed with the group answer**. The missing word is **group**.
- 33. match
The summary describes Asch asking his subjects to do an action with line lengths. The text explicitly says he **asked them to match this in terms of length**. Thus, the required verb is **match**.
- 34. untrue
The summary notes that Asch placed his subjects with colleagues who gave a specific type of response. The passage calls these colleagues 'stooges' and says they gave **untrue responses**. The exact adjective needed is **untrue**.
- 35. anxious
The summary points out that subjects admitted to feeling a certain way about giving their answer. The text states that giving wrong answers made them **anxious**. The correct adjective is **anxious**.
- 36. Asch
The notes for 'Compliance' mention that this behavior is illustrated by the research conducted by a specific person. The text introduces compliance and then uses the **Asch study** as the prime example. The missing name is **Asch**.
- 37. internalization
This note heading describes a process where people persuade themselves and view the majority view as most valid. The text names this process explicitly: **In a process known as internalization**. The required noun is **internalization**.
- 38. valid
Under the internalization process, the notes state the majority view is considered the most... view. The passage says subjects see the view of the group as the more **valid** one. The correct adjective is **valid**.
- 39. identification
This note heading describes a process where people change their ideas to the majority's values. The text states that **Kelman calls this identification**. The required noun is **identification**.
- 40. teenagers
Under identification, the notes say it is typical of a specific demographic. The text explains that this process **frequently happens with teenagers**. The missing noun is **teenagers**.