Social approach KC2: Types of conformity

Question 1

What are the three types of conformity

Answer 1

internalisation, compliance, identification

Question 2

internalisation

Answer 2

The individual goes along with the group opinion as they genuinely believe it is correct, so their private views are changed

The group’s opinion becomes a part of how the individual now thinks I.e they genuinely agree with it - privately and publicly

A permanent type of conformity (not just when others are looking). usually the result of ISI - we think the group view is right

Question 3

Compliance

Answer 3

The individual does not privately agree with the majority, but goes along with it anyway because they do not want to be rejected

This type of conformity is temporary - it ends when the group is no longer present and no pressure is felt

Compliance occurs due to NSI - we want to be accepted to the group

Question 4

Identification

Answer 4

The individual temporarily goes along with the norms and roles of the group because they see membership as part of their identity. This combines elements of the other two types

Stronger than compliance, as we privately change our views as well as publicly, but it is weaker than internalisation, as we only conform for as long as we are a part of the group

We conform because we identify with the group

Question 5

Does compliance mean you publicly agree with the group

Answer 5

yes

Question 6

Does compliance mean you privately agree with the group

Answer 6

no

Question 7

Does compliance mean you conform when the group are not present?

Answer 7

yes

Question 8

does compliance mean you conform when no longer a member of the group

Answer 8

no

Question 9

Does identification mean you publicly agree with the group?

Answer 9

yes

Question 10

Does identification mean you privately agree with the group?

Answer 10

yes

Question 11

Does identification mean you conform when group are not present?

Answer 11

yes

Question 12

Does identification mean you can form when no longer a member of the group?

Answer 12

no

Question 13

Does internalisation mean you publicly agree with the group?

Answer 13

yes

Question 14

Does internalisation mean you privately agree with the group?

Answer 14

yes

Question 15

Does internalisation mean you conform when the group are not present?

Answer 15

yes

Question 16

Does internalisation mean you conform when no longer a member of the group?

Answer 16

yes

Question 17

Name 1 strength of the types of conformity

Answer 17

There is research support for the different types of conformity

Asch’s study showed compliance because participants agreed with the majority to avoid disapproval of the group. Participants in another study showed internalisation as they conformed because they believed others had more expertise than they did (Sherif). These supporting studies show that people conform for different reasons suggesting that there is more than one type of conformity

Question 18

Name 1 limitation of the types of conformity

Answer 18

Real world conformity is less well understood

This is because studies are not like real world situations. eg, Asch’s Task of identifying line lengths was an artificial task in a controlled environment. Also identification is hard to separate from compliance and internalisation because it often combines features of both in real-world situations. Therefore, conformity is oversimplified in research and may be more complex in the real world