USC "Speak Your Mind" Challenge - Social Conformity
- Emily Yoon
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
A vibrant trend is storming social media: thousands of users are getting dumped with ice water. This phenomenon moves social media users by the thousands, revealing how powerful social conformity can be when blended with viral trends and the desire to publicly support a cause. I remember opening up my Instagram page to see one USC "Speak Your Mind" challenge last Friday, and by the time the weekend ended, every mutual friend I had friended had posted the challenge. The first ice bucket challenge universally impacted early social media and successfully promoted awareness and funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). With the return of the ice bucket challenge, it is important to note the goal behind this new movement: promoting mental health awareness. Social media fosters various forms of social influence, with conformity being one of the most prominent. It was fascinating to see the social movement promote mental health awareness on platforms that researchers say increase mental health disorders. Conformity occurs when individuals adjust their human behavior and beliefs to align with the majority (Asch, n.d.).
Harms of Social Conformity
Preceding the benefits of social conformity, this challenge shows how fast users consume and spread information (dissemination), in which it is necessary to see both the effects of social media in the widespread usage of social media. According to the social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954), individuals evaluate their abilities by comparing themselves to others. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok reinforce this behavior by promoting curated content, which often leads to unrealistic self-expectations. Social media users may find themselves comparing their own lives to a distorted and false projection of reality that the content creator chooses to share. This comparison can lead to feelings of self-doubt as the content presents an idealized version of life that does not reflect reality. In Bandura’s social learning theory (1977), individuals tend to model behaviors they observe in their social environment. On social media, users are constantly exposed to behaviors, lifestyles, or trends that are celebrated or praised. As a result, individuals may adopt these behaviors, consciously or unconsciously, as they seek things that are considered socially desirable. Social media can also force group polarization: groups of like-minded individuals reinforce each other’s opinions, and these opinions become more extreme as they're discussed (American Psychological Association, n.d.-b). Group polarization can be harmful as it narrows perspectives and discourages keeping an open mind by presenting only one side of a pre-existing belief. In the context of social media, this effect is amplified as social media platforms have algorithms that curate content based on a user’s engagement and preferences. By consistently presenting content that aligns with what users have interacted with before, these algorithms limit exposure to diverse perspectives. This makes it harder for individuals to encounter new ideas that challenge their existing views.
Pro-social Movements
Although consistent references to harmful behavior on social media convey the effect of human behavior greatly, a psychological lens helps to create a balanced view of the influence on human behavior. Exposure to positive behavior on social media can encourage others to act in similar ways. Across headlines, streamlining posts, and momentous efforts, one exemplar recent pro-social movement is the #BlackLivesMatter Movement became a national movement after gaining widespread momentum in the tragic deaths of unlawfully murdered African Americans. Prosocial behavior is depicted in social media in activism against social injustices like race, or awareness of critical problems, and effectively impacts the behavior of civil engagement and fosters a sense of duty. The movement gained traction globally, where “between May and September 2020, 5.8 million distinct users shared a tweet that contained the hashtag for the first time” (Hatfield, 2023). Prosocial movements promote kindness and awareness, using social media to drive engagement and collective support for a better society. Ultimately, human behavior is shaped by social media platforms that strive to influence and entice users by appealing to their desire for social acceptance and community. Hopefully, the traction gained from this challenge is more than something people can check off and instead something that raises awareness of mental health, a problem 22% of the U.S. population faces (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d.-a). Apa Dictionary of Psychology. American
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American Psychological Association. (n.d.-b). Apa Dictionary of Psychology. American
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Asch, S. E. (n.d.). Studies of independence and conformity: I. A minority of one against a
unanimous majority. APA PsycNet. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0093718. [Accessed 24
March 2025]
Hatfield, J. (2023, July 12). 8 facts about black lives matter. Pew Research Center.
~:text=On%20Twitter%20specifically%2C%20millions%20of,hashtag%20for%20the%2
0first%20time. [Accessed 12 March 2025]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) - transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/
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