Conformity: Types and Studies

Conformity- A form of social influence that results from exposure to the majority position and leads to compliance with that position. It is the tendency for people to adopt the behaviours, attitudes and values of members of a reference group.

Types of Conformity:

Compliance- Occurs when an indvidual accepts influence because they hope to achieve a favourable reaction from those around them. It is not adopted because of its content but because it has associations to reard and approval: agreeing but you know it is wrong

Internalisation- Occurs when an individual accepts influence because the content of the attitude or behaviour proposed is consistent with their own value system: Genuinely changing beliefs or morals due to the majority

Identification- A form of influence where an individual adopts an attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular group: Temporary change in public and private belief

Explanations of Conformity:

Informative social influence- Form of influence as a result of a desire to be right- looking to others as a way of gaining evidence about reality: E.g To see what Knife or Fork to use in a restaurant

Normative social influence- Form of influence where an individual conforms with the majority as a way of gaining approval or to avoid social disapproval: E.g Laughing at a joke

Studies of Conformity:

Asch- 1956

Asch set up a study in which volunteers were asked to be part of a 'visual discrimination task', the volunteers thought each pp in the group was also a volunteer, however all but one of the volunteers was a confederate in each group.PPs were asked to call out which of the three lines displayed was similar to the…