Abstract
As noted in the second chapter, there are many mechanisms that may account for the high degree of attitudinal and behavioral consistency we see frequently in groups (see Kiesler & Kiesler, 1969). “Normal” behavior becomes formalized in society, and people are rewarded for compliance and punished for deviations (Goffman, 1963). The reader may easily imagine unusual behaviors that may quickly bring strong social disapproval and mistreatment (see Becker, 1963; Clinard, 1968; Freedman & Doob, 1968; Goffman, 1963; Lofland, 1969; Matza, 1969; Palmer, 1970; Schur, 1965, 1969). In this regard, it is at times striking to see society’s quick and strong response to a person who has deviated from the norm (Schachter, 1951). Equally striking, however, is the lack of response that a society will typically give to someone who is behaving “normally.” Given this situation, we may be expected to develop a cautiousness in showing ourselves to be unique. Fortunately, however, society provides some socially acceptable attributes whereby people may manifest their differentness; these characteristics are called uniqueness attributes.
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Snyder, C.R., Fromkin, H.L. (1980). Commodities As Uniqueness Attributes. In: Uniqueness. Perspectives in Social Psychology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3659-4_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3659-4_6
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