Imagine a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl, wearing Guess boots and an Abercrombie hoodie to fit in. Visualize a thirty-five year old man listening to the top forty radio stations. and watch American Idol, so he can have something to add to the discussion with his colleagues during the coffee break. The different types of behavior stated above are referred to as compliance. Conformity refers to the process by which an individual's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are influenced by other individuals. But how do these necessities manipulate a being? Social psychologists have conducted various experiments and concluded that, through various forms of social influence, groups can change the personalities of their members. The novel Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli depicts physiological disorders with conformity as the main theme. Additionally, it leaves the reader wondering if my personality is really me? Or was it predisposed by society? Spinelli states that conformity damages a person's personality by changing their identity, tolerance level, and individuality. In Stargirl, high school symbolizes the general public, how the weak follow the influential and the powerful and individuals who do not follow the powerful are looked down upon. Identity is one of the major physiological problems, which is distorted when one practices conformity. Identity is not just a set of computerized data that differentiates one from another, identity is something much deeper and personal; ultimately, it's a question of personal worth. A person's identity depends on how they perceive themselves in relation to their family, society, gender and beliefs. It is also about how we perceive and value each other. The change in identity...... middle of paper...... is short-lived and means nothing after those 3 brief years of high school; rather, it is a true hero or heroine brave enough to face the crowd who will be remembered forever. In conclusion, people often conform to the desire to gain a sense of security within a group, usually a group that is of a similar age, culture, religion, or educational status. Any reluctance to conform carries a very real risk of social rejection. Spinelli makes it understandable in Stargirl ; he believes that conformism is one of the main problems responsible for the corruption of people's personalities today. He shows this problem through physiological struggles such as the alteration of his identity which he displays through the characters of Stargirl and Hillari Kimble. We do not control our level of tolerance and individuality is destroyed..