Types of conformity

• What is conformity?

  A type of social influence that causes a change in a person's behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people
• What are the 3 types of conformity?

  The 3 types of conformity proposed by Kelman are:

  1. Internalisation
  2. Identification
  3. Compliance
• What is internalisation?


  The process of incorporating external information or values into one's own beliefs or behaviours. The change is both private and public. The change is likely to be permanent
• What happens when beliefs are internalised?

  They become a part of the way the person thinks. The change in behaviour persists even in the absence of other group members
• Internalisation is considered the strongest form of conformity as it is a change in a person's beliefs and values. It usually occurs as a result of informational social influence
• What is identification?

  The temporary/short-term change of behaviour and beliefs only in the presence of a group. This is because there is something about the group that we value.
• When identification occurs we may identify with the group so we want to be a part of it. This may mean we publicly change our opinion/behaviour to achieve this goal, even if we don't privately agree with everything the group stands for
• What is compliance?

  Adherence to rules or regulations of a group to gain their approval/ avoid disapproval. You publicly agree but privately disagree. Likely caused by normative social influence
• Compliance results in only a superficial change. It also means that a particular behaviour or opinion stops as soon as group pressure stops.