SOCIAL INFLUENCE; types of conformity

Question 1

what is conformity

Answer 1

When an individual changes their behaviour or beliefs to fit in wit those of a group, due to group pressure
Kelman 1958 suggested there are 3 types of conformity
- compliance
- identification
- internalisation

Question 2

What is Kelman’s 1958 compliance

Answer 2

• when a person publicly goes along with a group’s behaviour/belief because they fear disapproval and social rejection
• In private, they secretly disagree with the group’s behaviour/ belief
• This is a temporary change (they change their behaviours depending on the presence of the group)
• compliance is the weakest form of conformity

For a study on compliance refer to Asch’s Line Study

1) individual publicly, but not privately agrees with the group
2) in order to gain approval and to avoid ridicule
3) this is temporary and is only shown in the presence of the group

Question 3

What is Kelman’s 1958 Identification

Answer 3

• when some publicly changes their behaviour because they value, respect and identify with the group
• there is a public change even though their private attitudes may differ

Here a person changes their public behaviour (the way they act) and their private beliefs, but only while they are in the presence of the group they are identifying with

• This is usually temporary - people may not like something but they would do it anyway
• Identification is a moderate form of conformity.
• A good research study example is Zimbardo’s Prison Experiment*

1) individual publicly and privately accepts the majority’s influence
2) in order to gain acceptance
3) this is temporary and not maintained outside of the group

Question 4

what is Kelmans 1958 Internalisation

Answer 4

• Internalisation is publicly AND privately changing your beliefs and external behaviour to fit in with the group.
• This is the deepest/strongest level of conformity as the beliefs of the group become part of the individual’s own belief system.

An example of internalisation is if someone lived with a vegetarian at university and then decides to also become one too because they agree with their friend’s viewpoint / someone converting religions would also be a good example.

The change is permanent

1) where an individual accepts the groups beliefs as their own
2) they change both their private and public views
3) this is a permanent change as they continue to think this even without the presence of the group

Question 5

evaluation

Answer 5

• difficulties distinguishing between compliance and internalisation
  It is very difficult to be certain whether a person is complying or acting as a result of internalisation.

the true motivation may not even be known to the individual themselves.