Introduction Sociologists and psychologists pay much attention to the factors that shape the worldviews of people and their behavior. Very often, much attention is paid to the person’s attitudes towards conformity and individualism. Overall, the term conformity can be described as the willingness of a person to imitate the behavior of the majority. At the same time, individualism is the willingness of a person to keep his/her own beliefs and values even though they can differ from values of the rest of society. Thus, conformity and individualism are opposite notions. These concepts are important for understanding people’s behavior. Psychologists often try to understand the reasons why people prefer behaving like the rest of society even if this behavior may be immoral. For example, people who lived in totalitarian countries (Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and so on) often committed numerous crimes and did loads of horrible things. Similarly, in many cases, a person can challenge the stereotypes that are often taken for granted by others. For example, in some Muslim countries, it is believed that women should not get higher education or set a business while many people in those countries do not agree with that stereotype and are ready to employ females. However, it is possible to say that culture and background have a great effect on a person’s beliefs about conformity and individualism. In particular, an individual can be taught to respect and imitate the values of the majority. In contrast, the culture and background of a person can make him oppose the norms established in the community. This is the main thesis that should be examined more closely. Proof On the whole, it is possible to argue that the representatives of different cultures may not have the same attitudes to conformity and individualism. In some cases, the acceptance of the mainstream rules can be regarded as one of the cornerstones that ensure the existence of society. In order to illustrate this point, one should focus on the value systems and norms adopted in different countries. In her article, Anne Lee investigates the reasons why innovation is not fostered in such a country as China (Lee). The journalist believes that in this country, people, who do not comply with the mainstream, can be easily “edged out” or marginalized by the community (Lee). This tendency is not very strong in Western societies in which the individuality is one of the core values. Additionally, the author mentions Steve Jobs, who is regarded as a classical example of entrepreneurial spirit (Lee). The key issue is that such entrepreneurs do not come to the forefront of Chinese society because such people are usually ready to challenge the existing norms (Lee). The main problem is that this behavior is usually welcomed in China. Thus, these examples suggest that the behavior of a person is determined culturally. In particular, they influence a person’s attitude towards social norms. This is one of the points that can be made. In many cases, children rely on the guidance of parents who act as role models. In many cases, parents can say that their children should not try to stand out among others because this behavior can eventually pose a threat to the person. As a rule, such children are more likely to take other people’s values