Social Influence
, Conformity
CONFORMITY: the tendency to change behaviour or attitude in response to the influence of
others or social pressures. This can be real or imagined.
MAJORITY INFLUENCE
Types of Conformity
Compliance
• most superficial
• Conforms publicalo to views/beh expressed by others in group * stops when group
• Continues to privately disagree not around
• shallow
• Temporary Where the indiv changes their own behaviour to fit in w/ group NSI
May not agree with beh but goes along w it
Identification
• might accept influence bc they want to be associated with another person or group
• Deeper type of conformity
• Indiv exposed to the views of others and changes their view, publicly and privately to fit in
with them
• Person identifies with the group and feels a sense of group membership
• Change of belief/beh may be temporary
• Both the elements of compliance and internalisation. *JOB*
NSI
Internalisation
• conversion
• deepest level of conformity
• some views, taken on at deep and permanent level
• Part of persons own way of viewing world
• close examination of groups position may convince individuals that they are wrong and the
group is right
• Particularly likely, if group generally trustworthy in their views
• Acceptance of view is public and private
ISI
Where the behaviour or belief of the majority is accepted by the individual and becomes part
of their own belief system
,Asked to define/differentiate:
Differentiate:
1. Behaviour in public
2. Behaviour in private
3. What happens when group leaves
Explanations For Conformity
Types of Influence:
1. Normative social influence (NSI) LIKED or RIGHT
2. Informational social influence (ISI)
Normative Social Influence
(Want to be NORMAL) NSI
E.G:
NSI: conform bc we think the majority will approve and accept us 1. In stressful
situation:
• desire to be liked • greater need
• Feel the need to fit in and fear rejection from the group to have social
• more likely to lead to a temporary change in att/Beh support from
others
• as possible to behave like majority without really accepting
point of view 2. Social approval
• Therefore - compliance from friends
, Informational Social Influence
They know more INFO than me
ISI: Desire to be right , look to others whom we believe to be correct to give us info about how to
behave
• more likely to occur in new or ambiguous E.g:
situations - unsure what is right way to behave 1. Expert present
• When faced with crisis 2. If answ not clear look
• Believe others are more expert than us at others
3. New
• More likely : permanent change in att/beh - • not experienced
believe doing 'right thing'
• Don't know how to
• internalisation behave
*USUALLY IN QS:
'FIRST' day …
The person does not know what to do, but wants to be correct assumes majority know
what the right thing to do
, Conformity
CONFORMITY: the tendency to change behaviour or attitude in response to the influence of
others or social pressures. This can be real or imagined.
MAJORITY INFLUENCE
Types of Conformity
Compliance
• most superficial
• Conforms publicalo to views/beh expressed by others in group * stops when group
• Continues to privately disagree not around
• shallow
• Temporary Where the indiv changes their own behaviour to fit in w/ group NSI
May not agree with beh but goes along w it
Identification
• might accept influence bc they want to be associated with another person or group
• Deeper type of conformity
• Indiv exposed to the views of others and changes their view, publicly and privately to fit in
with them
• Person identifies with the group and feels a sense of group membership
• Change of belief/beh may be temporary
• Both the elements of compliance and internalisation. *JOB*
NSI
Internalisation
• conversion
• deepest level of conformity
• some views, taken on at deep and permanent level
• Part of persons own way of viewing world
• close examination of groups position may convince individuals that they are wrong and the
group is right
• Particularly likely, if group generally trustworthy in their views
• Acceptance of view is public and private
ISI
Where the behaviour or belief of the majority is accepted by the individual and becomes part
of their own belief system
,Asked to define/differentiate:
Differentiate:
1. Behaviour in public
2. Behaviour in private
3. What happens when group leaves
Explanations For Conformity
Types of Influence:
1. Normative social influence (NSI) LIKED or RIGHT
2. Informational social influence (ISI)
Normative Social Influence
(Want to be NORMAL) NSI
E.G:
NSI: conform bc we think the majority will approve and accept us 1. In stressful
situation:
• desire to be liked • greater need
• Feel the need to fit in and fear rejection from the group to have social
• more likely to lead to a temporary change in att/Beh support from
others
• as possible to behave like majority without really accepting
point of view 2. Social approval
• Therefore - compliance from friends
, Informational Social Influence
They know more INFO than me
ISI: Desire to be right , look to others whom we believe to be correct to give us info about how to
behave
• more likely to occur in new or ambiguous E.g:
situations - unsure what is right way to behave 1. Expert present
• When faced with crisis 2. If answ not clear look
• Believe others are more expert than us at others
3. New
• More likely : permanent change in att/beh - • not experienced
believe doing 'right thing'
• Don't know how to
• internalisation behave
*USUALLY IN QS:
'FIRST' day …
The person does not know what to do, but wants to be correct assumes majority know
what the right thing to do
