Conformity

Slide 1

Conformity
A change in a person's behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people. Psychologists believe that we are all subject to the forces of social influence. Many of our everyday decisions are the result of pressures to conform to the opinions and behaviours of other people. 
Types of conformity: internalisation identification compliance Explanations for conformity: informational social influence ISI normative social influence NSI

Slide 2

Internalisation
A deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view because we accept it as correct. It leads to a far-reaching and permanent change in behaviour, even when the group is absent. 
Internalisation occurs when a person genuinely accepts the group norms. This results in a private as well as a public change of opinions/behaviour. This change is likely to be permanent because attitudes have been internalised i.e. become part of the way the person thinks. The change in opinions/behaviour persists even in the absence of other group members.

Slide 3

Identification
A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way with the group because we value it and want to be part of it. But we don't necessarily agree with everything the majority believes. 
Sometimes we conform to the opinions/behaviour of a group because there is something about that group we value. We identify with the group, so we want to be part of it. This may mean we publicly change our opinions/behaviour to achieve this goal, even if we don't privately agree with everything the group stands for. 

Slide 4

Compliance
A superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately disagree with it. The change in our behaviour only lasts as long as the group is monitoring us.
This type of conformity involves simply "going along with the others" in public, but privately not changing personal opinions and/or behaviour. Compliance results only in a superficial change. It also means that a particular behaviour or opinion stops as soon as group pressure stops. 

Slide 5

Informational social influence ISI
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct. We accept it because we want to be correct as well. This may lead to internalisation.For example, you may not know the answer to a question in class. But if most of the class agrees on one answer, you accept that answer because you feel they are likely to be right. 
ISI is a cognitive process because it is to do with what you think. ISI is most likely to happen 

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