Conformity

• What is conformity?

  A change in a person's behavior as a result of real or imagined group pressure
• What are the types of conformity?

  1. Compliance

  • Public change without private change
  • Superficial change to fit in with the group

  1. Identification

  • Public change while privately agreeing with the group
  • Temporary change maintained only while part of the group

  1. Internalisation

  • Public and private change
  • Permanent change accepted even without the group's presence
• What is compliance in terms of conformity?

  Public change without private change
• How does identification differ from compliance?

  Identification involves public change while privately agreeing with the group
• What is internalisation in conformity?

  Public and private change that is permanent
• What are the explanations for conformity?

  1. Informational Social Influence

  • Seeking information from the group
  • Cognitive alteration of opinions/behaviors
  • Likely in new situations
  • Leads to internalisation

  1. Normative Social Influence

  • Conforming due to emotional rather than cognitive processes
  • Leads to compliance
• What is informational social influence?

  Seeking information from the group to determine correct behavior
• In what situations is informational social influence most likely to occur?

  In situations that are new to a person
• What is normative social influence?

  Conforming due to emotional reasons rather than cognitive processes
• What does normative social influence lead to?

  Compliance