Conformity: types and explanations

• Internalisation

  Genuine acceptance of group norms
• Identification

  Temporary agreement with group due to valuing something about the group
• Compliance

  Going along with the majority while privately disagreeing
• Informational social influence

  Following group norms to be correct in ambiguous situations
• Lucas et al


  Study on conformity to math problems, greater conformity to harder questions
• Fein et al


  Study on voting behavior, participants changed their votes to align with others
• Normative social influence

  Following group norms to gain approval
• nAffiliators

  Individuals with a great need for approval
• McGhee and Teevan

  Study on conformity, found high need for affiliation leads to more conformity
• Cillessen and Garandeau

  Study on manipulation by bullies, found boys can be manipulated to victimise others
• Asch

  Study on conformity, participants conformed to fit in their group
• Referent social influence

  Maintaining norms of the group
• ISI

  Deutsch and Gerrard's 'two process' project providing alternative knowledge from dissenter
• NSI

  Deutsch and Gerrard's 'two process' project providing social support from dissenter
• Turner's conformity theory

  Tendency to adjust behavior to match group norms
• Abrams et al group theory

  Collection of individuals with shared characteristics or goals