Conformity: types and explanations

• Compliance: desire to fit in with the majority. To be accepted, avoid rejection. Public compliance but not private acceptance. Superficial, stops when group pressure stops.
• Identification- conforming to a group because we value the group and want to identify with it. Involves publicly changing our behaviour but we may not agree with all the group's beliefs and behaviours privately.
• Internalisation- when a person genuinely accepts the group norms, both privately and publicly. Change is permanent as the person has internalised the beliefs.
• Normative Social Influence (NSI)- The need to be liked! An emotional process.
• Informational Social Influence (ISI)- The need to be right! A cognitive process. Most likely then:

  • ambiguous tasks
  • new tasks
  • exposed to experts in the group
  • crisis situations
• Research support for ISI

  Lucas et al. (2006) maths questions easy -> difficult. Greater conformity when difficult. Proves >conformity when don't know answer
• NSI and ISI work together

  Our influences are usually combination of both- contradicts two-process theory. E.g. Asch- dissenter using NSI or ISI?
• Individual differences in NSI

  Some are less concerned with being liked. McGhee and Teevan (1967) - students high in need of affiliation (being in a relationship) were more likely to conform. Shows that need to be liked underlies conformity for some more than others