Conformity: Types and Explanations

• Social Influence

  Observing other’s behaviour which influences you to change what you’re doing to be the same as the society around you.
• Conformity

  Changing your own behaviour to fit in with other’s behaviour around you to not stand out, instead be normal.
• What is Internalisation?

  An individual is exposed to the views of a group, they validate or examine their own beliefs
• Is Internalisation public or private?

  Public and Private - acceptance of group’s beliefs. Attitude change, they are wrong the group is right.
• What is Compliance?

  When an individual is exposed to the views/actions of a majority. They engage in social comparison.
• Is Compliance public or private?

  Public Compliance - change in behaviour/opinion stops when group pressure stops. Following unwritten rules.
• What is Identification?

  When you admire or respect the behaviour or opinions of group, publicly change behaviour or opinion to fit in with that group.
• Is Identification public or private?

  Publicly change our behaviour to fit in with group. No private change as we may not agree with everything the group stands for.
• What is ISI (Informational Social Influence)?

  The need to be right
• What is NSI (Normative Social Influence)?

  The need to be liked
• Lucas et al (2006)

  • participants conformed more often to incorrect answers they were given when math problems were difficult.
  • when the problems were easy the participants ‘knew their own mind’ but when the problems became difficult the situation became ambiguous (unclear). The participants didn’t want to be wrong so they relied on the answers they were given
• What is the mixed evidence for NSI?

  • NSI does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way - some people are greatly concerned with being liked by others (nAffiliators) - more likely to conform.
  • Mcghee and Teevan - found that students were naffiliators were more likely to conform.