Types of Conformity

Question 1

What are the three types of conformity

Answer 1

1. Compliance
2. Identification
3. Internalisation

Question 2

What is Compliance?

Answer 2

• Involves going along with others in public, but privately not changing personal opinions/behaviour
• Compliance is only a superficial change
• A particular behaviour or opinion that stops as soon as group pressure stops

Question 3

What is Identification?

Answer 3

• Conforming to the opinions/group because there is something about that group we value
• We identify with the group so we want to be part of it
• Publicly change our behaviour/opinions to achieve this goal, even if we don’t privately agree with everything the group stands for

Question 4

What is internalisation?

Answer 4

• Occurs when a person genuinely accepts the group norms
• this results in a private and public change of opinions/behaviour
• this change is likely to be permanent because attitudes have been internalised
• this change in behaviours/opinions persists even in the abscence of other group members

Question 5

What are the explanations for conformity?

Answer 5

• Informative social influence (ISI)
• Normative social influence (NSI)

Question 6

What is the two-process theory?

Answer 6

• Deutsch and Gerard developed a two-process theory, arguing that there are two main reasons people conform. They are based on two central human needs; the need to be right (ISI), and the need to be liked (NSI)

Question 7

Informational Social Influence (ISI) pt.1

Answer 7

• ISI is a cognitive process because its to do with what you think
• Is about who has better info you or the rest of the group
• Often we are uncertain about what behaviours/ beliefs are right or wrong
• The reasons individuals follow the behaviour of the group is because they want to be right.

Question 8

Informational Social Influence (ISI) pt.2

Answer 8

• ISI is most likely to happen in situations that are new to a person, or situations where there is some ambiguity (so isnt clear what is right)
• Also typical in crisis situations where decisions have to be made quickly
• Occurs as well when one person/ group is regarded as being more of an expert.

Question 9

Normative Social Influence (NSI) pt.1

Answer 9

• Is about norms i.e. what is ‘normal’ or typical for a social group.
• Norms regulate the behaviour of groups and individuals so it is not surprising that people pay attention to them.
• People do not like to appear foolish and prefer to gain social approval rather than be rejected
• NSI is emotional rather than a cognitive process.

Question 10

Normative Social Influence (NSI) pt.2

Answer 10

• NSI is most likely to occur in situations with strangers where you may feel concerned about rejection
• It may also occur with people you know because we are most concerned about the social approval of our friends
• It may be more pronounced in stressful situations where people have greater need for social support