Types of Conformity

• Internalisation- deep type of conformity where the majority view is accepted as the correct response, leading to permanent changes in behaviour even when the group isn't present
• Identification- moderate type of conformity where a person behaves like the rest of the group due to wanting to be accepted, but doesn't entirely agree with the majority view
• Compliance- superficial and temporary type of conformity where a person outwardly goes along with the majority view, but disagrees with it privately (behaviour only changes while the group is monitoring)
• Informational social influence (ISI)- the tendency to conform to the opinion of the majority because we believe their opinion is correct

  • Cognitive process- requires thinking
  • Leads to permanent changes in opinion or behaviour (internalisation)
  • Happens in new or crisis situations
• Normative social influence (NSI)- the desire to be liked and accepted by others by conforming to the majority's behaviour, and to avoid being rejected or ridiculed

  • Emotional process (how we feel)
  • Leads to temporary changes in opinion or behaviour (identification or compliance)
  • Likely to occur in situations with strangers so we aren't socially rejected, and situations where there is a greater need for support
• Variables affecting conformity:

  • Group size
  • Unanimity
  • Task difficulty
• How group size affects conformity (Asch):

  • Line judgement task variation
  • 1 confederate, conformity rate= 3%
  • 2 confederates, conformity rate= 12.8%
  • 3 confederates, conformity rate= 32%, same as the baseline study
  • Therefore, conformity is at its highest with 3 confederates
  • However at 15 confederates, conformity rate dropped, pps may have become suspicious, or felt less pressure to conform
• How unanimity affects conformity (Asch):

  • Line judgement task variation
  • 1 confederate told to give the right answer throughout, conformity rate= 5%
  • 1 confederate gave a different incorrect answer to the other confederates, conformity rate=9%
  • Therefore, when unanimous position is broken it is easier to resist conformity
• How task difficulty affects conformity (Asch):

  • Line judgement task variation
  • Difference between lines made less obvious, conformity rates increased, maybe because of ISI (being unsure, so going with the majority)
• Asch's baseline study:

  • 50 male college students who believed they were taking part in a vision test
  • Each pps answered second to last
  • 7 confederates, gave the incorrect answer on 12/18 of the trials
  • Conformity rate was 32%, pps who didn't conform at all= 26%
  • Variation without confederates, wrong answers= 1%
  • Most pps gave NSI as the reason for conformity- wanting to fit in