Types of conformity
What is conformity?
Conformity is defined as a change in a person's beliefs and/or behaviour as a result of real or imagined
pressure from a person or group.
Types of conformity
It has been suggested that there are three types of conformity.
1) Internalisation.
2) Identification.
3) Compliance.
Conformity =
Conformity is defined as a change in a person’s beliefs or behaviour as a result of real or imagined
pressure from a person and group.
Internalisation =
● Accept the group norms of the majority.
● This results in a change in belief/behaviour in public and in private.
● The attitudes have been internalised meaning the change is likely to be permanent.
● Change in opinion/behaviour will continue without the group being present.
○ Example
Become a vegetarian as you share the values that eating meat is wrong with the group. You will be a
vegetarian even if they are not present.
Identification =
● Value an element of the groups norms and change our public behaviour/beliefs because of this.
● We identify with the group and want to be part of it.
● Publically change our behaviour/beliefs even if we don’t privately agree with all values of the
group.
● It is not a permanent change in private beliefs-only when the group is present.
○ Example
You hate spicy food but try a friend's spicy dish as you want to fit in with the group of friends. All the
friends you are with have ordered a spicy dish.
Compliance =
● Go along with others (majority) in public to fit in but no change in belief/behaviour has occurred
privately.
● Superficial/temporary change has occurred.
, ● Behaviour/beliefs change will only last as long as the group pressure is present.
○ Example
Agree with a group of peers that you like a certain band when you do not.
Differences =
● Permanent change vs temporary change
● Change in beliefs is public and in private vs Change beliefs in public only to fit in with majority.
Internalisation—deepest level of conformity.
● Accept the group norms of the majority.
● This results in a change in belief and behaviour in public and in private.
● The attitudes have been internalised meaning the change is likely to be permanent.
● Change in opinion/behaviour will continue without the group being present.
Identification—middle level conformity.
● Value an element of the groups norms and change our public behaviour and private beliefs but
only while in the presence of the group.
● We identify with the group and want to be part of it.
● It is not a permanent change in private beliefs only while the group is present.
Compliance—lowest level of conformity.
● Go along with others (majority) in public to fit in. A person changes their behaviour in public but
no change in belief has occurred privately.
● Superficial/temporary change has occurred.
● Behaviour/beliefs change will only last as long as the group pressure is present.
Reasons for conformity
There are two explanation why people conform
● Informative social influence
● Normative Social Influence
There are two explanations for conformity:
● Informational Social Influence (ISI) ‘Need to be right’
● Normative Social Influence (NSI) ‘Need to be liked’
○ Informational social influence (ISI)
● This refers to instances where people conform because they do not know what to do, but they
want to be correct.
● They are uncertain about what beliefs or behaviour are right or wrong. As they are uncertain they
follow the majority as they assume the majority know what the right thing to do is.
, ● Most likely to happen in situations that are new to a person or ambiguous.
● This tends to lead to a type of conformity called : internalisation
○ Normative social influence (NSI)
● This refers to instances where people conform in order to be accepted by a group or to avoid
disapproval/rejection from that group. Most likely to occur in situations with strangers where you
are worried about rejection. Or with friends who you seek social approval from.
● This is likely to lead to a type of conformity called: compliance
There are two examples that can be used as explanations:
● Informational social influence (ISI) - Sherif’s Autokinetic Effect Experiment (1935)
● Normative social influence (NSI) - Asch’s Line Study
Informational Social Influence:
This refers to instances where people conform because they do not know what to do, but they want to be
correct. They are uncertain about what beliefs or behaviour are right or wrong. As they are uncertain they
follow the majority as they assume the majority know what the right thing to do is. Most likely to happen
in situations that are new to a person or ambiguous.
This tends to lead to a type of conformity called internalisation.
Normative Social Influence
This refers to instances where people conform in order to be accepted by a group or to avoid
disapproval/rejection from that group. Most likely to occur in situations with strangers where you are
worried about rejection. Or with friends who you seek social approval from.
This is likely to lead to a type of conformity called compliance.
Evaluating explanations for conformity =
● Positive
Point one: There is research evidence to support ISI.
Evidence: Lucas et al (2006) asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were easy
or hard. There was greater conformity when the questions were hard. This was most true for participants
who rated their mathematical ability as poor.
Therefore: such findings support one of the central predictions given by ISI that we will look to others and
assume they know better than us so conform to be right. The students did not feel like they knew the
maths answer so conformed.
● Negative
Point two: However, ISI does not affect everybody in the same way
Evidence: For example, Asch found that students were less conformist (28%) than other participants
(37%).
Therefore: it appears that individual differences exist in the need to right with some individuals perceiving
this as more important than others. This undermines the central assumption of ISI suggesting it is not a
valid explanation of conformity for everyone.
What is conformity?
Conformity is defined as a change in a person's beliefs and/or behaviour as a result of real or imagined
pressure from a person or group.
Types of conformity
It has been suggested that there are three types of conformity.
1) Internalisation.
2) Identification.
3) Compliance.
Conformity =
Conformity is defined as a change in a person’s beliefs or behaviour as a result of real or imagined
pressure from a person and group.
Internalisation =
● Accept the group norms of the majority.
● This results in a change in belief/behaviour in public and in private.
● The attitudes have been internalised meaning the change is likely to be permanent.
● Change in opinion/behaviour will continue without the group being present.
○ Example
Become a vegetarian as you share the values that eating meat is wrong with the group. You will be a
vegetarian even if they are not present.
Identification =
● Value an element of the groups norms and change our public behaviour/beliefs because of this.
● We identify with the group and want to be part of it.
● Publically change our behaviour/beliefs even if we don’t privately agree with all values of the
group.
● It is not a permanent change in private beliefs-only when the group is present.
○ Example
You hate spicy food but try a friend's spicy dish as you want to fit in with the group of friends. All the
friends you are with have ordered a spicy dish.
Compliance =
● Go along with others (majority) in public to fit in but no change in belief/behaviour has occurred
privately.
● Superficial/temporary change has occurred.
, ● Behaviour/beliefs change will only last as long as the group pressure is present.
○ Example
Agree with a group of peers that you like a certain band when you do not.
Differences =
● Permanent change vs temporary change
● Change in beliefs is public and in private vs Change beliefs in public only to fit in with majority.
Internalisation—deepest level of conformity.
● Accept the group norms of the majority.
● This results in a change in belief and behaviour in public and in private.
● The attitudes have been internalised meaning the change is likely to be permanent.
● Change in opinion/behaviour will continue without the group being present.
Identification—middle level conformity.
● Value an element of the groups norms and change our public behaviour and private beliefs but
only while in the presence of the group.
● We identify with the group and want to be part of it.
● It is not a permanent change in private beliefs only while the group is present.
Compliance—lowest level of conformity.
● Go along with others (majority) in public to fit in. A person changes their behaviour in public but
no change in belief has occurred privately.
● Superficial/temporary change has occurred.
● Behaviour/beliefs change will only last as long as the group pressure is present.
Reasons for conformity
There are two explanation why people conform
● Informative social influence
● Normative Social Influence
There are two explanations for conformity:
● Informational Social Influence (ISI) ‘Need to be right’
● Normative Social Influence (NSI) ‘Need to be liked’
○ Informational social influence (ISI)
● This refers to instances where people conform because they do not know what to do, but they
want to be correct.
● They are uncertain about what beliefs or behaviour are right or wrong. As they are uncertain they
follow the majority as they assume the majority know what the right thing to do is.
, ● Most likely to happen in situations that are new to a person or ambiguous.
● This tends to lead to a type of conformity called : internalisation
○ Normative social influence (NSI)
● This refers to instances where people conform in order to be accepted by a group or to avoid
disapproval/rejection from that group. Most likely to occur in situations with strangers where you
are worried about rejection. Or with friends who you seek social approval from.
● This is likely to lead to a type of conformity called: compliance
There are two examples that can be used as explanations:
● Informational social influence (ISI) - Sherif’s Autokinetic Effect Experiment (1935)
● Normative social influence (NSI) - Asch’s Line Study
Informational Social Influence:
This refers to instances where people conform because they do not know what to do, but they want to be
correct. They are uncertain about what beliefs or behaviour are right or wrong. As they are uncertain they
follow the majority as they assume the majority know what the right thing to do is. Most likely to happen
in situations that are new to a person or ambiguous.
This tends to lead to a type of conformity called internalisation.
Normative Social Influence
This refers to instances where people conform in order to be accepted by a group or to avoid
disapproval/rejection from that group. Most likely to occur in situations with strangers where you are
worried about rejection. Or with friends who you seek social approval from.
This is likely to lead to a type of conformity called compliance.
Evaluating explanations for conformity =
● Positive
Point one: There is research evidence to support ISI.
Evidence: Lucas et al (2006) asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were easy
or hard. There was greater conformity when the questions were hard. This was most true for participants
who rated their mathematical ability as poor.
Therefore: such findings support one of the central predictions given by ISI that we will look to others and
assume they know better than us so conform to be right. The students did not feel like they knew the
maths answer so conformed.
● Negative
Point two: However, ISI does not affect everybody in the same way
Evidence: For example, Asch found that students were less conformist (28%) than other participants
(37%).
Therefore: it appears that individual differences exist in the need to right with some individuals perceiving
this as more important than others. This undermines the central assumption of ISI suggesting it is not a
valid explanation of conformity for everyone.
