Types of conformity

• Types of conformity

  1. compliance
  2. internalisation
  3. identification
• Kelman (1958)

  suggested there were 3 main ways people conform
• Internalisation

  When a person genuinely accepts the group norm

  • Private and public conformity
• Identification 


  When a person conforms due to value of the group

  • public change even if not privately
• Compliance 


  Going along with others

  • Conform publicly not privately
• Deustch and Gerard (1955)

  Developed the dual process dependancy model containing

  • Informational social influence
  • Normative social influence
• Informational social influence

  • We agree to be correct
  • May lead to internalisation
• Normative social influence

  • Emotional rather than cognitive
  • conform to gain social approval not rejection
  • may lead to compliance
• EVALUATION - Strength - research support

  • When Asch interviewed his ppts some said they conformed as to not be rejected
  • when written down answers conformity fell to 12.5%
• EVALUATION - Strength - Research support ISI

  • Todd Lucas et al found conformity in maths as they wanted to be right

  COUNTERPOINT

  • It’s unclear wether it is NSI or ISI as both are possible
• EVALUATION - Weakness - Generalisability

  • Can’t predict conformity in every case
  • nAffiliators have strong need for affiliation so more likely to conform