Types of conformity

• What are the three types of conformity?

  Compliance, identification, internalisation
• What is the strongest type of conformity?

  Internalisation
• What is the weakest type of conformity?

  Compliance
• What is compliance?

  Going along with others in public due to group pressure
• What is identification?

  Changing your behaviour when with a certain group to fit in
• What is internalisation?

  Both a public and private change, likely permanent
• Who suggested the three types of conformity?

  Herbert Kelman (1958)
• What is the two process theory?

  Reasons why people conform, proposed by Deutsch and Gerard (1955)
• What is NSI?

  Normative social influence, desire to fit in and gain social approval
• What is ISI?

  Informational social influence, desire to be right when you are unsure of an answer
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of explanations for conformity?

  Strengths: ISI supported by research, NSI supported by research Weaknesses: ISI doesn't affect everyone in same way, ISI and NSI often occur together
• How is ISI supported by research?

  E- Lucas et al, maths questions, varying difficulty

  E- Greater conformity for harder questions, especially if maths ability poor

  L- Shows people conform when lacking knowledge
• How is NSI supported by research?

  E- Asch asked people why they conformed, said they felt self conscious

  E- Repeated his study, writing down answers, conformity fell by 12.5%

  L- Shows people conform for social approval
• How does ISI affect people differently?

  E- Asch found that in his study, undergrads conformed less (28%) than others (37%)

  E- Objectively smarter people conformed less

  L- ISI affected by intelligence and confidence
• How do ISI and NSI often occur together?


  E- Deutsch and Gerard say its a two step process

  E- In Asch's study, when dissenter introduced, conformity drops either due to social support (NSI) or alternative information (ISI)

  L- Therefore, questions whether it is a two step process, reducing validity