Conformity
Types and Explanations of Conformity
Conformity: a type of social influence involving a change in an individual’s belief or behaviour in
order to fit in with a group.
Types of conformity:
Compliance
- Weakest type of conformity
- Superficial and temporary type of conformity
- Results in public but not private acceptance
- Behaviour stops when the group is no longer monitoring us
- Obtain approval or avoid disapproval
Identification
- Moderate type of conformity
- Change public behaviour, but might not agree with everything the group stands for
privately
- Involves taking on the views of a group we admire or wish to be part of
Internalisation
- Strongest type of conformity
- Far reaching and permanent change
- Results in public and private acceptance
Explanations of conformity:
Normative social influence (NSI)
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want
to be accepted and liked. It is an emotional process – how we feel. This can lead to compliance
as humans have an innate fear of rejection. Therefore, we only conform in public.
Informational social influence (ISI)
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we have
a desire to be right. It is a cognitive process – how we think. This can lead to internalisation as
we believe others are experts in ambiguous situations. This leads us to conform to the belief in
public and private.
, A03
Point Evidence Conclusion
A strength of NSI is that Asch (1951) interviewed his Therefore, NSI has high
there is supporting participants and asked explanatory power as
research for the theory. them why they conformed. Asch’s study supports the
Some stated it was main claims of the theory
because they were ‘self- that people conform
conscious’ and were afraid because they are afraid of
of disapproval. rejection and have a desire
When participants wrote to be liked.
their answers down
instead of saying them out
loud, conformity fell from
36.8% to 12.5%.
A strength of NSI is that Linkenback and Perkins Therefore, this supports NSI
there is supporting (2003) found that in a as it suggests we are more
evidence campaign aimed at 12–17- likely to conform if our
year-olds in seven counties peers are also doing
in Montana, exposed to the something (the desire to be
message that the majority liked). This explanation is
of their age peers did not valuable as it allows us to
smoke were subsequently create campaigns to
less likely to take up reduce unhealthy
smoking. behaviours, thus creating a
positive societal impact.
A limitation of NSI is that it NSI does not predict Therefore, NSI could be
is affected by individual conformity in everyone’s said to lack universality as
differences. case. Some people are it doesn’t consider that
more concerned about people have different
being liked by others. personality types and can
These people are called therefore not be applied to
‘nAffiliators.’ McGhee and everyone, such as people
Teevan (1967) found that who are not nAffiliators.
students who were
‘nAffiliators’ were more
likely to conform than
those who are not.
A strength of ISI is that Lucas et al (2006) found Therefore, this research
there is supporting that participants supports ISI as it suggests
research for the theory. conformed more often to individuals are more likely
Types and Explanations of Conformity
Conformity: a type of social influence involving a change in an individual’s belief or behaviour in
order to fit in with a group.
Types of conformity:
Compliance
- Weakest type of conformity
- Superficial and temporary type of conformity
- Results in public but not private acceptance
- Behaviour stops when the group is no longer monitoring us
- Obtain approval or avoid disapproval
Identification
- Moderate type of conformity
- Change public behaviour, but might not agree with everything the group stands for
privately
- Involves taking on the views of a group we admire or wish to be part of
Internalisation
- Strongest type of conformity
- Far reaching and permanent change
- Results in public and private acceptance
Explanations of conformity:
Normative social influence (NSI)
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want
to be accepted and liked. It is an emotional process – how we feel. This can lead to compliance
as humans have an innate fear of rejection. Therefore, we only conform in public.
Informational social influence (ISI)
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we have
a desire to be right. It is a cognitive process – how we think. This can lead to internalisation as
we believe others are experts in ambiguous situations. This leads us to conform to the belief in
public and private.
, A03
Point Evidence Conclusion
A strength of NSI is that Asch (1951) interviewed his Therefore, NSI has high
there is supporting participants and asked explanatory power as
research for the theory. them why they conformed. Asch’s study supports the
Some stated it was main claims of the theory
because they were ‘self- that people conform
conscious’ and were afraid because they are afraid of
of disapproval. rejection and have a desire
When participants wrote to be liked.
their answers down
instead of saying them out
loud, conformity fell from
36.8% to 12.5%.
A strength of NSI is that Linkenback and Perkins Therefore, this supports NSI
there is supporting (2003) found that in a as it suggests we are more
evidence campaign aimed at 12–17- likely to conform if our
year-olds in seven counties peers are also doing
in Montana, exposed to the something (the desire to be
message that the majority liked). This explanation is
of their age peers did not valuable as it allows us to
smoke were subsequently create campaigns to
less likely to take up reduce unhealthy
smoking. behaviours, thus creating a
positive societal impact.
A limitation of NSI is that it NSI does not predict Therefore, NSI could be
is affected by individual conformity in everyone’s said to lack universality as
differences. case. Some people are it doesn’t consider that
more concerned about people have different
being liked by others. personality types and can
These people are called therefore not be applied to
‘nAffiliators.’ McGhee and everyone, such as people
Teevan (1967) found that who are not nAffiliators.
students who were
‘nAffiliators’ were more
likely to conform than
those who are not.
A strength of ISI is that Lucas et al (2006) found Therefore, this research
there is supporting that participants supports ISI as it suggests
research for the theory. conformed more often to individuals are more likely
