Conformity

• Conformity


  A form of social influence that results from exposure to the majority position and leads to compliance with that position. It is the tendency for people to adopt the behaviour, attitudes and values of other members of a group.
• Compliance (Superficial Conformity)


  Social Comparison - seeing what others say and do then adjusting behaviour to fit in. Even if the individual doesn't agree, they still find themselves going along with it. The result is public compliance but no private attitude change.
• Internalisation (Deep Conformity)


  Validation process - examining one's own beliefs to decide if they are right, or the group's beliefs are right. Likely to internalise if: the group is trustworthy, individual has gone along with the group previously. Will lead to adopting the view both privately and publicly.
• Identification (Moderate Conformity)


  Occurs when an individual identifies with a group and wants to be a part of it. They act in the same way as the group and may publicly adjust their own beliefs and behaviours to fit in with it even if they don't privately agree with everything the group stands for. Identification has elements of both compliance and internalisation, as the individual accepts the attitudes and behaviours they are adopting as right and true (internalisation), but the purpose of adopting them is to be accepted as a member of the group (compliance).
• Compliance


  Going along with others to gain their approval or avoid their disapproval.
• Identification


  Going along with a group of others because there is something about the group that we value.
• Internalisation


  Going along with others because you have accepted their point of view as being consistent with your own.
• Kane, Dean and Sam

  • Kane: Compliance
  • Dean: Internalisation
  • Sam: Identification
• Informational Social Influence (ISI)

  Based on the desire to be right. Situations in which it might occur: Ambiguous or crisis situations when you are under pressure and don't know what to do, When we think others are experts i.e. following the views of political opinion leaders, Developing social stereotypes of groups we have limited experience of.
• Normative Social Influence (NSI)

  Based on a desire to be liked and fit in. Situations in which it might occur: Bullying, Smoking.