Compliance is publicly conforming to the behaviour or views of others in a group to be accepted or avoid disapproval, but privatelymaintaining one’s own views. This is a temporary change in behaviour
Identification
When individuals adjust their behaviour and opinions to those of a group because they identify with that group and want to become part of it. Membership of that group is desirable
Internalisation
Conversion (or change) of private views to match those of the group. The behaviour or belief of the majority is accepted by the individual and becomes part of their own belief system
Normative social influence
People conform because they desire to be liked, by the other members of the group, and also want to avoid being rejected - acceptance and social approval
Informational social influence
desire to be right, and occurs when we turn to others who we believe to be correct, in an attempt to gain information about how to think or act, or in ambiguous situations
Research support (NSI)
Asch’s (1951) - line judgment task
Research support (ISI)
Lucas et al (2006) asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were either easy or difficult - there was greater conformity to incorrect answers with the more difficult questions
Limitation (conformity)
ISI and NSI do not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way and therefore it fails to account for individual differences
