1: Types of Conformity

Question 1

What is conformity?

Answer 1

Conformity is the tendency to change our views or behaviour in response to the influence of a larger group.

The social pressure we feel from this group may be real or imagined.

There are three main types: internalisation, identification and compliance

Question 2

What is compliance?

Answer 2

• most superficial (weak) type of conformity
• when an individual agrees w the group publicly but their internal private beliefs remain in disagreement
• changes their beliefs or behaviour to be accepted by the group or to avoid disapproval
• short term/temporary

Question 3

Examples of compliance

Answer 3

• saying you don’t like a food to agree with the group when privately you do
• laughing at a joke when others laughs but you don’t find it funny

Question 4

What is identification?

Answer 4

• moderate type of conformity
• person conforms to the views or behaviours of the group because they identify w the group and want to be part of it
• has elements of compliance and internalisation
• beliefs are changed publicly and mostly privately
• purpose is to be socially accepted as a group member
• usually lasts as long as the individual want to identify with the group

Question 5

examples of identification

Answer 5

• supporting a football team public ally that your friends support but you’re not really interested in football
• pretending to be a vegan public ally but eating meat privately

Question 6

what is internalisation

Answer 6

• deepest level of conformity
• occurs when we genuinely accept the group norms and adopt the group viewpoint both publicly and privately
• known as ‘conversion’ because the person ‘converts’ their private way of thinking, even when the group is absent
• long-term change

Question 7

examples of internalisation

Answer 7

• changing religion
• becoming vegan
• changing music taste
• changing politics view stance
• joining a cult

Question 8

differences in types of conformity (4)

Answer 8

compliance = most superficial level
identification = moderate level
internalisation = deepest level

compliance = public but not private change in beliefs/behaviour
identification = public and mostly private change in beliefs/behaviour
internalisation = public and private change in beliefs/behaviour

compliance = short term change
identification = lasts as long as they want to identify with the group
internalisation = long term and permanent change (‘conversion’)

compliance = occurs due to desire to be liked/gain approval from the group
identification = occurs due to identifying with a group and wanting to be part of it
internalisation = occurs due to genuinely believing/accepting the group norms