SI - Types of conformity and explanations for conformity Flashcards
Who proposed three types of conformity?
Kelman (1958)
What were the 3 types of conformity proposed by Kelman (1958)?
Compliance
Internalisation
Identification
What is compliance?
When individuals go along with the group in order to gain their approval or avoid their disapproval.
When an individual accepts influence because they hope to achieve a favourable reaction from those around them. An attitude or behaviour is adopted not because of its content, but because of the rewards or approval associated with its adoption.
What is internalisation?
Individuals may go along with the group because of acceptance of their views.
When an individual accepts influence because the content of the attitude or behaviour proposed is consistent with their own value system.
What is identification?
When an individual accepts influences because they want to be associated with another person or group. By adopting the group’s attitudes or behaviours they feel more part of it.
A from of influence where an individual adopts an attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular person or group.
What is the difference between the 3 types of conformity?
Each type has a particular set of motivating conditions that leads to a conforming response.
For example, if an individual’s prime motivation is to fit in with the rest of the group they may comply rather than internalise the group’s position on a particular issue. Or, if the primary motivation is to find the most appropriate way of responding in a particular situation, then internalising the group position may be seen as the most credible way of achieving this.
What are the 2 explanations/groups for conformity?
- Normative social influence
- Informative social influence
When does informational social influence occur?
When an individual accepts information from others as evidence about reality. They need to also feel confident that their perceptions and beliefs are correct.
When is informational influence more likely?
If the situation is ambiguous or where others are experts. As a result, the individual changes their behaviour rather than just complying to it.
What does normative social influence tell us an individual does?
Goes along with the majority without really accepting their point of view.
What is an important condition for normative influence to occur?
The individual must believe they are under surveillance by the group.
What is 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 reference group.
What is informational social influence?
A form of influence, which is a result of a desire to be right - looking to others as a way of gaining evidence about reality.
What is normative social influence?
A form of influence whereby an individual conforms with the expectations of the majority in order to gain approval or to avoid social disapproval.
What are the positives and negatives of the types of conformity/explanations for conformity?
+ research support for informational influence
+ research support for normative influence
- difficult to distinguish between compliance and internalisation
- normative influence may not be detected
- informational influence is moderated by type of task
