Types and explanations of conformity.
This refers to instances where a person may agree in public with a group of people, but the person privately disagrees with the group’s viewpoint or behaviour. The individual changes their views, but it is a temporary change. For example, a person may laugh at a joke because their group of friends find it funny but deep down the person does not find the joke funny.
Publicly changing behaviour to fit in with the group while also agreeing with them privately. An internal (private) and external (public) change of behaviour. This is the deepest level of conformity were 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.
Identification occurs when someone conforms to the demands of a given social role in society. For example, a policeman, teacher or politician. This type of conformity extends over several aspects of external behaviour. However, there still be no changed to internal personal opinion.
Normative social influence is where a person conforms to fit in with the group because they don’t want to appear foolish or be left out. Normative social influence is usually associated with compliance, where a person changes their public behaviour but not their private beliefs.
For example, a person may feel pressurised to smoke because the rest of their friends are. Normative Social influence tends to lead to compliance because the person smokes just for show but deep down they wish not to smoke. This means any change of behaviour is temporary.
Informational social influence is where a person conforms because they have a desire to be right, and look to others who they believe may have more information. This type of conformity occurs when a person is unsure of a situation or lacks knowledge and is associated with internalisation.
An example of this is if someone was to go to a posh restaurant for the first time, they may be confronted with several forks and not know which one to use, so they might look to a near by person to see what fork to use first.
Describe ‘internalisation’ as a type of conformity. (2) January 2018
Describe, using compliance, why Billy helped the four people over 70 years old. (2) January 2019
Describe, using internalisation, why Billy helped the children’s basketball team. (2) January 2019
Explain whether identification is an effective type of conformity in changing behaviour. (4) January 2018
Discuss how compliance and internalisation can explain the behaviour of students in the school. You must refer to the context in your answer. (8) October 2016