Conformity (new spec teaching starting sept 2015)

Conformity

Types and Explanations

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. (Aronson 2011)

Kelman (1958) suggested that there are three types of conformity:

Internalisation

When an individual genuinely accepts the opinions and behaviours of the group. This means that they both publically and privately change their opinions and behaviour. The change persists even when the group isn't around and is likely to be permenant.

Identification

When an individual conforms to the group because there is something about the group that the individual values. In other words, we identify with the group and so conform to be part of it. This may also mean that the person changes their opinions and behaviours publically but privately they don't agree with them.

Compliance

This type of conformity is the least permenant. It involves an individual publically changing their beliefs just to 'go along with it'. This results in only a temporary change and the person returns to their original beliefs and behaviours once the group pressure is removed.

Deustch and Gerard (1951) developed a two-process theory that argues that there are two main reasons people conform:

Informational Social Influence (ISI)

This cognitive explanation suggests that people conform when they believe that the group are better informed than they are. 

For example, if the teacher asks the class to shout out the answer but you're not quite sure and the rest of the class seem to all agree on one answer, ISI occurs when you shout out the same answer as the rest of the class.

• ISI is most likely to occur in situations that are new to a person
• in situations where it isn't clear what the right thing to do is.
• It is also typical in crisis situations where decisions have to be made quickly.

Normative Social Influence (NSI)

This emotional explanation suggests that we conform to avoid rejection and looking foolish. 

• NSI is most likely to ocur in situations with strangers because you may feel concerned about rejection.
• In situations with people…