ESSAY : Discussion Board on Social Influences

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 300-500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions with your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

In this assignment, you will investigate concepts such as conformity, compliance, and obedience. Each of you has probably seen a story on the news about someone joining a cult, group, or gang. As you watched the news story, you may wonder why that person would conform to the strict requests made by the group, cult, or gang. For example, a cult in 1997 called Heaven\’s Gate convinced all 39 members to commit suicide. A group called the Moonies (Unification Church) would convince its members to cut contact with anyone outside of the group (family and friends) and donate all of their money to the church.
Why would anyone willingly join one of these groups?
(Threats, promise of power, safety, or money.)

Discuss the following in your paper:
Research a group, gang, or cult that you believe uses conformity, compliance, or obedience to have people join and stay in that particular gang. In your own words give a summary of the group, gang, or cult’s mission.

Reference the gangs call “BLOODS” and “CRIPS”.

What does that group outwardly say to recruit someone into the group, gang, or cult?

Discuss how the group uses social influence such as conformity, compliance, and obedience to keep members in the group, gang, or cult.
Why would someone stay in one of these groups, gangs, or cults? (Promises told to have power and control)

If someone in the group, gang, or cult wanted to leave, would it be an easy transition? (NO)

What may prevent him or her from leaving? (Threats on their and their family\’s safety and wellbeing)

SAMPLE SOLUTION

The Summary of “BLOODS” and “CRIPS”
The “bloods” and “crisps” are two rival gangs in Los Angeles and California. The “Bloods” are normally known by their red worn and other gang symbols and signs. These groups have sub-groups that exhibit some significant differences, for example, their operations, political ideologies, color and even clothing. The sole purpose of its creation was to compete against Crisps in Los Angeles.
Crisps, on the other hand, is known for its blue attires with most members being of African-American heritage. The gang has been the source of murder cases, robberies, cases of drugs among others. The rivalry of the two gangs dates’ way back in 1970’s when another gang called Pirus street broke off from Crisps. Due to internal wrangles, Pirus street and other small gangs teamed up to form Bloods as a way of countering…