0.1 Types and explanations for conformity

what are the types of conformity

• compliance

• identification

• internalisation

what is compliance

publicly going along with majority influence to gain approval - not private beliefs

short term

desire to fit in

shallowest conformity

what is identification

public and private acceptance to gain groups approval - but is temporary and so not maintained when you leave the group

such as your beliefs as a soldier which may change when returning to normal life

what is internalisation

deepest level

public and private acceptance

more permanent - religion, becoming vegan …

what are the explanations for conformity

• informational social influence

• normative social influence

what is ISI

conforming due to the need to feel right/be correct

what is NSI

conforming for the need to be liked/accepted by a group

what research supports ISI

Jenness - jellybean experiment

participants had to estimate how many were in a jar,

individually then after discussing as a group

estimates varied widely but after discussion, people changed answer to align with group average

found the 2nd private estimate moved closer to group estimate / average

what research supports NSI

Schultz et al - towel reusage in hotel. when sign said 75% guests reuse their towel, towel reuse increased by 25%. behaviour conforms to the expectations of a group

Asch - line study

75% conformed to at least one obviously wrong answer

what is cognitive dissonance

anxiety created by having multiple contradictory ideas at the same time