Conformity: Types and Explanations

Internalisation

Genuine acceptance of group norms resulting in private and public change of opinions/behavior, leading to a permanent change

What are the three types of conformity?

Internalisation, Identification, Compliance

Internalisation

Genuine acceptance of group norms resulting in private and public change of opinions/behavior, leading to a permanent change

What are the three types of conformity?

Internalisation, Identification, Compliance

Identification

Conforming due to valuing group identity, resulting in public change for acceptance without necessary private agreement.

Compliance

Superficial conformity in public without private change, behavior stops when group pressure stops.

Informational Social Influence (ISI)

Following the group for better information, characterized by uncertainty, ambiguity, and crisis situations, leading to permanent change in opinion/behavior.

Normative Social Influence (NSI)

Conforming to norms for social approval, characterized by concern about rejection and social approval, leading to temporary change in opinions/behavior.

Who came up with the Two-Process Theory

Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

Research Support for NSI as explanation for conformity

Asch interviewed the participants of his 1951 study. Some said they conformed due to fear of disapproval. When participants wrote their answers in private, conformity fell to 12.5%. Shows at least some conformity is due to the desire to be liked (NSI).

Research Supports for ISI

Study by Todd Lucas et al (2006). He found participants conformed more often to incorrect answers they were given when maths problems were difficult. When problems were easy, participants knew their own minds. But when the participants werent sure and didnt want to be wrong, they relied on the answers given (ISI)

Counter Point to Research Support for ISI

It is often unclear whether NSI or ISI is at work in research or real life. Asch(1955) found conformity is reduced when there is one other dissenting participant. He may reduce NSI by providing social support or ISI by providing alternative source of information. Therefore it is hard to seperate NSI and ISI.

Limitation of NSI

Paul Mghee and Richard Teevan (1967) found nAffilitators were more likely to conform. This means NSI underlies conformity for some people more than others. There are individual differences in conformity that cannot be explained by one general theory

nAffiliators

People concerned with being liked by others, having a strong need for affiliation, more likely to conform according to McGhee and Teevan (1967).

NSI/ISI Distinction

The distinction between Normative Social Influence and Informational Social Influence in understanding conformity, challenged by Lucas et al.'s study and supported by Asch's research.

NSI/ISI Distinction is not useful

It is impossible to tell which one is opperating. Lucas et als findings could be due to any of the two or both

Morton Deutsch and Harold Gerard's Two-Process Theory

Theory explaining conformity through the Need to be Right (ISI) and the Need to be Liked (NSI), highlighting cognitive and emotional processes leading to internalization and compliance.