Social influence

Question 1

What are the three types of conformity?

Answer 1

Compliance, identification and internalisation

Question 2

What is compliance?

Answer 2

‘going along with others’ in public, but internally or
privately not changing personal opinions – this results in only a
superficial change and stops when the group pressure stops.

Question 3

What’s identification?

Answer 3

When we change our opinions and behaviours because there is
something about the group we value. We will publicly change our behaviours and
opinions as we want to be liked and accepted by the group. They only change these
when they are in the presence of the group.

Question 4

What is internalisation?

Answer 4

refers to when a person genuinely accepts the group
norms, both in public and in private. This change is usually permanent
because the attitudes of the group have been internalised. The behaviour
persists even when the group members are not there.

Question 5

What is informational social influence?

Answer 5

• Informational social influence (ISI) argues
  that you conform because you want to be
  RIGHT. It can lead to a permanent change in
  opinion or behaviour
• This occurs when we look to the majority
  group for information as we are unsure
  about the way in which to behave
• A person will conform because they
  genuinely believe the majority to be right so
  look to them for the right answer

Question 6

What is normative social influence?

Answer 6

• Normative social influence (NSI) argues
  you conform because you want to be
  LIKED. ‘Norms’ regulate the behaviours
  of groups and we do not want to seem
  foolish.
• This occurs when we wish to be liked by
  the majority group, we go along with
  them even though we may not agree with
  them. This is really just following the
  crowd in order to fit in with the ‘norm’
  and be liked by the group.

Question 7

Evaluation for explanations of conformity