TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS CONFORMITY?

1A
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

A TYPE OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE WHERE INDIVIDUALS

CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDES, BELIEFS IN ORDER TO GO
ALONG WITH THE MAJORITY AS A RESULT OF REAL OR
IMAGINED PRESSURE.

1B
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL

INFLUENCE ?

2A
 TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHEN WE ARE IN AN AMBIGUOUS SOCIAL SITUATION WHERE WE

ARE NOT SURE OF THE CORRECT WAY TO BEHAVE, E.G. IN A
RESTAURANT WE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHICH FORK TO USE SO WE
LOOK TO OTHERS AND COPY THEM, I.E. FOLLOW THE MAJORITY

THIS RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE INTERNALISATION.

EXAMPLES : IF A PERSON CHANGES THEIR POLITICAL IDEOLOGY

FROM CONSERVATIVE TO LIBERAL, THEN THEY HAVE
INTERNALISED THESE NEW BELIEFS ON A SEMI-PERMANENT
BASIS AND BELIEVE THAT VOTING LIBERAL IS ‘RIGHT’.

2B
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS NORMATIVE SOCIAL

INFLUENCE?

3A
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

NORMATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCE IS WHERE A PERSON

CONFORMS IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED AND BELONG TO A
GROUP. THEY DO THIS BECAUSE IT IS SOCIALLY
REWARDING AND/OR TO AVOID SOCIAL REJECTION [E.G.
RIDICULE FOR NOT ‘FITTING IN’].

NORMATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCE IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED

WITH COMPLIANCE AND IDENTIFICATION.

3B
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS COMPLIANCE?

4A
 TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

A TYPE OF CONFORMITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS GO ALONG WITH

OTHER PEOPLE BEHAVIOUR OR ATTITUDES BUT WE DON’T BELIEVE
THESE ARE CORRECT.

WE GO ALONG WITH WHAT OTHERS WANT BUT KEEP OUR ORIGINAL

VIEW TO ‘KEEP THE PEACE’

IN THE CASE OF COMPLIANCE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

YOUR PUBLIC AND PERSONAL OPINION, BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN
INTERNALISED AND DOES NOT REFLECT OUR TRUE VALUES &
BELIEFS

EXAMPLES: DRESS CODES, NOT SPEEDING, TRYING DRUGS

WHEN FRIENDS PRESSURE YOU INTO DRINKING ALCOHOL WHEN YOU DON’T
TRULY WANT TO, AND WILL NOT DRINK OUTSIDE OF SUCH SOCIAL SITUATIONS.
4B
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS INTERNALISATION?

5A
 TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

INTERNALISATION IS THE TYPE OF CONFORMITY WHICH BECOMES IN

BUILD AND STARTS TO GENUINELY REFLECT A PERSONS TRUE
VALUES AND BELIEVES; WE TAKE ON THE VIEWS OF OTHERS BOTH
PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY. THIS MIGHT OCCUR AS A RESULT OF BEING
GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT SOMETHING WHICH IS ENOUGH TO
CONVINCE US IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO

EXAMPLES:
- IF A PERSON CHANGES THEIR POLITICAL IDEOLOGY FROM CONSERVATIVE TO LIBERAL, THEN
THEY HAVE INTERNALISED THESE NEW BELIEFS ON A SEMI-PERMANENT BASIS AND BELIEVE
THAT VOTING LIBERAL IS ‘RIGHT’.
- BEING BROUGHT UP IN A RELIGIOUS HOUSEHOLD, AND BECOMING RELIGIOUS YOURSELF.

5B
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS IDENTIFICATION?

6A
 TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

IDENTIFICATION IS THE TYPE OF CONFORMITY WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL

EXCEPTS INFLUENCE BECAUSE IF HE OR SHE WANTS TO ESTABLISH
OR MAINTAIN A SATISFYING SELF DEFINING RELATIONSHIP TO
ANOTHER PERSON OR GROUP. IT IS SIMILAR TO COMPLIANCE AS
THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A CHANGE IN PRIVATE OPINION

EXAMPLES: PEOPLE CONFORMING TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF A

SOCIAL ROLE, SUCH AS NURSES OR POLICE OFFICERS.

6B
TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

WHAT IS INGRATIATION?

7A
 TOPIC 1 - CONFORMITY

INGRATIATION IS THE TYPE OF CONFORMITY WHERE A PERSON

CONFIRMS TO IMPRESS OR GAIN FAVOR\ACCEPTANCE FROM OTHER
PEOPLE IT IS SIMILAR TO NORMATIVE INFLUENCE BUT IS MOTIVATED
BY THE NEED FOR SOCIAL REWARDS RATHER THAN THE THREAT OF
REJECTION

EXAMPLES:

CHARITY WORK, COMMUNITY WORK, FRIENDLINESS, PUBLIC

SPEAKING

7B