Types of Conformity

Hopefully by this point you have an understanding that conformity is a change or modification of our own behaviour, to match that of the majority group, as a result of perceived (real or imaginary) social pressures.

When faced with social pressure, we have a choice - we can either adopt the behaviour we feel we're expected to (and gain approval) or we can reject it and suffer the social consequences.

But conformity itself isn't a one-shoe-fits-all adaptation of our behaviour. In this lesson we'll dig deeper into our definition and look at the difference between the behaviour we display in private vs public and the 'depth' to which we conform in our thinking.

Scenario 1

Imagine you're attending a new educational establishment. You don't know anyone but are keen to make friends. You're invited to lunch with a clique who tell you if you want to be part of their group you have to wear pink on Wednesdays. You hate the colour pink but when Wednesday comes you dutifully put on your salmon shirt...

Scenario 2

You've recently started a new job as a nurse in a local hospital. When you're at your new job, you're expected to act in a certain way and so you do. However, when it hits Friday and you clock-out for the weekend you become a different person entirely...

Scenario 3

It's New Year and you've decided to make 'getting healthy' your resolution. A friend tells you about the health and eco benefits of turning vegetarian so you give it a go. It's a struggle at first but soon you see the benefits for yourself and remain a vegetarian...

ACTIVITY

Read the above scenarios and then FOR EACH think about:

a) Has there been a public change in behaviour?

b) Has there been a private change in beliefs?

c) Is the behaviour / change in behaviour permanent or temporary?

From the scenarios, it's clear that the behaviour of conformity has variations. Kelman (1958) distinguished between THREE different types of conformity;

Compliance

Identification

Internalisation

When we think about these different types of conformity we can think of compliance as the shallowest level and internalisation as the deepest level of conformity.

Great little video - it's A level which is above and beyond national 5 but still good info and put simply

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

AT LEVEL 5, WE'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN COMPLIANCE AND INTERNALISATION WHICH IS HANDY BECAUSE THEY'RE AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.

THE KEY QUESTION WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN COMPLIANCE AND INTERNALISATION IS "HAS THERE BEEN A PRIVATE CHANGE OF BELIEFS". BASICALLY, WITHOUT THE SOCIAL PRESSURE, WOULD THEY HAVE ACTED IN THIS WAY? IF NOT, IT'S COMPLIANCE, IF THEY WOULD THEN IT SHOWS THEY HAVE INTERNALISED THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE GROUP, MAKING IT PART OF THEIR OWN BELIEFS, AND THEREFORE THIS WOULD BE INTERNALISATION.

Using this flow chart, with any given scenario you should be able to work out the type of compliance and the type of social influence at play.

I've left out identification to keep things simple for now.

A change in private beliefs means 'Would the individual do this if they weren't with the group?' or 'Does the individual agree with the behaviour they are doing?'

Example

Imagine you're attending a new college or job. You don't know anyone but are keen to make friends. You're invited to lunch with a clique who tell you if you want to be part of their group you have to wear pink on Wednesdays. You hate the colour pink but when Wednesday comes you dutifully put on your salmon shirt so you can sit with the group...

Has there been a change in public behaviour?

Yes, the individual has adopted the group behaviour of wearing pink on Wednesday

Has there been a private change in belief? (Do they genuinely WANT to wear pink?)

No, the individual hates the colour pink so we can assume that there has been no private change in beliefs. Without the presence of the group they would be unlikely to continue to wear pink on Wednesdays

This is ...

COMPLIANCE

Example

Has there been a change in public behaviour?

Yes, the individual has changed their behaviour - they have adopted a vegetarian diet

Has there been a private change in belief? (Do they want to be a vegetarian?)

Yes, as they recognise the benefits of a vegetarian diet we can assume that there has been a change in beliefs, they agree with what they are doing and are expected to continue to be vegetarian even when not with their vegetarian friends

This is ...

INTERNALISATION

Example

You're at a football match when some of the other supporters start a chant which you find offensive. You soon realise you are the only one in your section of the stand not chanting along so, despite feeling terrible about it, you start singing along...

Has there been a change in public behaviour?

Yes, the individual has changed their behaviour - they have joined in with the chanting

Has there been a private change in belief?

No, even when carrying out the behaviour they know that it is wrong. If they were by themselves in the stands we can assume they wouldn't be chanting offensive songs and are only doing it to fit in with the group

This is ...

COMPLIANCE

(This would actually be identification as they're acting within their social role of 'football fan' but we'll get on to that at level 6)

Example

You go off travelling around Thailand and neighbouring countries. While there you learn about Buddhism and because you agree with a lot of the ideas, you start practicing the faith yourself. Even when you return to the UK, you still consider yourself a Buddhist and expect to remain that way for life.

Has there been a change in public behaviour?

Yes, the individual has changed their behaviour - they do the things a Buddhist when practicing their faith

Has there been a private change in belief?

Yes, they have gone from not being a religious individual to adopting Buddhism and they agree with the ideas, showing a change in belief that is likely to be permanent.

This is ...

INTERNALISATION

TASK

After reading this page, complete the assignment "Conformity Two - Types of Conformity" on G Classroom (link)

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