SOCIAL INFLUENCE:
Conformity: Exposure to majority views will lead to a change in your own views, leading to
compliance with these views.
Kelman (1958):
1) Compliance: Individual goes along with a group in order to GAIN APPROVAL or to AVOID
DISAPPROVAL form the group. Social comparison may take place to examine our own
thoughts in comparison to the majorities, adjusting our own views in an attempt to fit in
better.
2) Internalisation: individual goes along with the group, because they have ACCEPTED the
majority’s point of view. Validation may take place to EXAMINE our own beliefs to see if
they are right.
3) Identification: ACCEPTING and FOLLOWING the point of view of the MAJORITY in an
attempt to be ASSOCIATED with that group. Both internalisation and compliance is present
here, accepting the point of view of the majority (Internalisation) and then following what
the group does (Compliance)
AO1 - CONFORMITY EXPLANATIONS:
Deutsch and Gerard (1955)
Normative Social Influence (NSI)
Ø Where an individual conforms to the majority to gain approval and avoid disapproval.
Ø Humans are social creatures and in an attempt to find social companionship they must be
seen to be similar to others
Ø Believe they are under surveillance
Ø Following what is the ‘NORMAL’ behaviour in the group
Ø Conform to majority in public [presence of group members: (under surveillance)] but DO
NOT INTERNALISE (accept) the view
Informational Social Influence (ISI)
Ø Conformity in a desire to be right
Ø Look to others to gain information about what must be right
Ø Thinking that others have better information
Ø Follow what the group does in novel (new) situations
Ø NOT CONFORMITY but is INTERNALISATION (they accept the point of view as being right in
that situation)
Ø Happens most when:
o Situation is ambiguous (no clear right behaviour)
o There is a crisis (no time to think, follow what others do)
o Believe others to be experts
Adam Cook © 1
Conformity: Exposure to majority views will lead to a change in your own views, leading to
compliance with these views.
Kelman (1958):
1) Compliance: Individual goes along with a group in order to GAIN APPROVAL or to AVOID
DISAPPROVAL form the group. Social comparison may take place to examine our own
thoughts in comparison to the majorities, adjusting our own views in an attempt to fit in
better.
2) Internalisation: individual goes along with the group, because they have ACCEPTED the
majority’s point of view. Validation may take place to EXAMINE our own beliefs to see if
they are right.
3) Identification: ACCEPTING and FOLLOWING the point of view of the MAJORITY in an
attempt to be ASSOCIATED with that group. Both internalisation and compliance is present
here, accepting the point of view of the majority (Internalisation) and then following what
the group does (Compliance)
AO1 - CONFORMITY EXPLANATIONS:
Deutsch and Gerard (1955)
Normative Social Influence (NSI)
Ø Where an individual conforms to the majority to gain approval and avoid disapproval.
Ø Humans are social creatures and in an attempt to find social companionship they must be
seen to be similar to others
Ø Believe they are under surveillance
Ø Following what is the ‘NORMAL’ behaviour in the group
Ø Conform to majority in public [presence of group members: (under surveillance)] but DO
NOT INTERNALISE (accept) the view
Informational Social Influence (ISI)
Ø Conformity in a desire to be right
Ø Look to others to gain information about what must be right
Ø Thinking that others have better information
Ø Follow what the group does in novel (new) situations
Ø NOT CONFORMITY but is INTERNALISATION (they accept the point of view as being right in
that situation)
Ø Happens most when:
o Situation is ambiguous (no clear right behaviour)
o There is a crisis (no time to think, follow what others do)
o Believe others to be experts
Adam Cook © 1
