Conformity: types and explanations

• Types of conformity


  • Internalisation
  • Identification
  • Compliance
• Internalisation


  When a person genuinely accepts group norms. It results in a private as well as public change of opinion and behaviour. The change is usually permanent and persists in the absence of group members because attitudes have become part of how the person thinks.
• Identification


  When we identify with a group that we value, we want to become part of it. So we publicly change our opinions/behaviour, even if we don't privately agree with everything the group stands for.
• Compliance


  Involves 'going along with others' in public, but privately not changing opinions/behaviour. This results in only a superficial change and the opinion/behaviour stops as soon as group pressure ceases.
• What are the two explanations for conformity

  1. ISI
  2. NSI
• explain informational social influence (ISI)

  • ISI is about information, a desire to be right
  • often we are uncertain about what behaviour or beliefs are right or wrong.
  • ISI is a cognitive process - people generally want to be right
  • ISI leads to internalisation
• when does ISI usually occur?

  • ISI occurs in situations that are ambiguous - because its not clear what is right
  • it may happen when decisions have to be make quickly when we assume the group is likely to be right
• explain normative social influence (NSI)

  • NSI is about norms, a desire to behave like others and not look foolish
  • NSI concerns what is ‘normal’ behaviour for a social group
  • norms emulate the behaviour of groups and individuals
  • NSI is an emotional process - people prefer social approval rather than rejection
  • NSI leads to compliance
• when does NSI occur?

  • in unfamiliar situation and with people you know
  • NSI is most likely in situations where you dont know the norms and look to others about how to behave
  • NSI occurs in situations which strangers if you dont want to be rejected or with people we know because we are concerned about the social approval of friends
  • it may be more pronounced in stressful situations where people have a need for social support
• One strength of NSI is that there is research support

  Asch (1951) found many participants conformed rather than give the correct answer because they were afraid of disapproval. When participants wrote answer (no normative pressure), conformity fell to 12.5%. This shows that at least some conformity is due to a desire not to be rejected by the group for disagreeing with them.
• another strength is research support for ISI

  Lucas (2006) found more participants conformed more to incorrect answers when maths problems were difficult. whereas with easy problems, participants knew their own minds. for hard problems the situation was ambiguous (unclear) so they relied on the answers they were given. this supports ISI because the results are what ISI would predict
• another strength is research support for ISI: counterpoint

  it is unclear if NSI or ISI operate in studies and real life. a dissenter may reduce the power of NSI (social support) or reduce the power of ISI (alternative source). therefore ISI and NSI are hard to separate and operate together in most real world situations
• one limitation is individual differences in NSI


  some people are concerned about being liked by others - nAffiliators who have a strong need for affiliation (need to relate to other people). McGhee and Teevan (1967) found that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform. this shows NSI underlies conformity for some people more than for others - an individual difference not explained by a theory of situational pressures