Conformity : types and explanations

• Three types of conformity

  1. Internalisation
  2. Identification
  3. Compliance
• Two explanations

  1. Informational social influence
  2. Normative social influence
• Internalisation - Think the group is right 


  When a person genuinely accepts group norms. It results in a private as well as public change of opinions/behaviours. The change is usually permanent and persists in the absence of group members because attitudes have become part of haw the person thinks.
• Identification - value the group 


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


  Involves 'going along with others' in public, but privately not changing opinions/behaviours. This results in only a superficial change and the opinions/behaviours stops as soon as group pressure ceases.
• Informational social influence (ISI)


  ISI is about information, a desire to be right. - often we are uncertain about what behaviour or beliefs are right and wrong. You may not know the answer to a question in class, but if most of your class says an answer you will normally agree. ISI is a cognitive process as people generally want to be right and ISI leads to internalisation. ISI is most likely in situations which are new or where there is some ambiguity. It may happen when decisions have to be made quickly, when we assume the group is right.
• Normative social influence (NSI)


  NSI is about norms, and a desire to behave like others. NSi concerns what is 'normal' behaviour for a social group. Norms regulate the behaviour of groups and individuals. NSI is an emotional process as people prefer social approval rather than rejection and this leads to compliance. NSI occurs in situations with strangers if you don't want to be rejected or with people we know as we want social approval. It may be pronounced in stressful situations where people have a need for social support.
• Evaluation

  One strength of normative social influence is research support. Asch found many participants conformed rather than give the correct answer because they were afraid of disapproval. When participants wrote down answers, conformity fell to 13%. This shows that at least some conformity is due to a desire not to be rejected by the group for disagreeing with them.
• Evaluation

  One strength is research support for informative social influence. Lucus et al found participants conformed more to incorrect answers when maths problems were difficult. For hard problems the situation was ambiguous so they relied on the answers they were given. This supports ISI because the results are what ISI would predict.
• Evaluation

  One limitation is if the distinction between NSI and ISI is useful. Lucus' study shows that the NSI/ISI distinction may not be useful as it is impossible to work out which is operating. However, Asch's research supports NSI and ISI. Therefore, overall both concepts are useful as they can be identified and used to explain the reasons for conformity in studies and real world situations.