Chapter Text
Dazai and Chuuya enter their first psychology class of the year, and sit down. Coincidentally, both had chosen the subject for the same reason - they had already studied it at GCSE. Only in the second year will they come to regret this decision immensely. By then it's too late.
The teacher introduces herself as Mrs B. She's just hit middle-aged, but in a wise and learned way, rather than a creepy homophobic way. She is confident and jovial and a little bit sarcastic, and she included a picture of the Tardis in her opening PowerPoint slide, so you know she's cool.
Dazai types the title of the day's lesson ("Types of Conformity") onto his laptop, into a note-taking website you have to pay a subscription for. Chuuya pulls out his notebook and pen.
The definition of conformity is a change in one's behaviours or beliefs due to real or imagined pressure from others.
In BSD lore, I would say Akutagawa changes his behaviours and beliefs due to the pressure Dazai put on him in the mafia and still to this day. Dazai wants Akutagawa to be strong, so Akutagawa trains his ability to develop into something better. Think S2 E14 where Dazai was berating him for killing the Mimic hostage (real pressure from others) and Akutagawa used Rashomon to create a shield for the first time (a change in one's behaviour).
There are 3 types of conformity:
Compliance - There is only a public change of behaviour/ beliefs. This is when a person is just 'going with the flow' of a group they're in. Change in behaviour stops when the group leaves, so the person reverts back to their normal self.
In BSD, Dazai is probably compliant. At the ADA, he makes jokes and is mostly just goofy, because he's around people. But when he returns to his dorm, it is implied that he just drinks by himself.
Identification - Again, there is a public change of behaviour/ beliefs. This occurs when we value the group and want to be a part of it. We won't always agree what the group stands for in private, but we choose to participate anyway.
Tachihara identifies with the Hunting Dogs, because after he talks with Hirotsu and Gin in S4 E50, he no longer believes the Hunting Dogs are doing the right thing. However, he still acts as a member so he can find out Fukuchi's true motives.
Internalisation - There is a public AND private change in behaviours/ beliefs. This happens when a person genuinely believes in the group and accepts their social norms. The person experiences a permanent change as attitudes are internalised.
This would be Akutagawa for the reasons mentioned earlier.
Remember: CII!
There are 2 explanations for conformity:
Informational Social Influence (ISI) - We agree with the majority opinion because we believe it is CORRECT, and we want to be seen as correct or right. This may lead to internalisation as we try to apply what we think is correct to our behaviour permanently.
An example could be Akutagawa, as he believes strength and murder is the only correct way to prove oneself, or Tachihara, as he believes the Hunting Dogs are morally right before E50.
Normative Social Influence (NSI) - We agree with the majority opinion because we want to be ACCEPTED, and we want to gain social approval or be liked. This may lead to compliance or identification.
Dazai??? Let me know in the comments below 🤪