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NORTHLINK
TECHNOLOGICAL COLLEGE
LEARNING MATERIALS 3.4
Subject: Understanding Culture, Society and Politics

MESSAGE FROM SIR LHOYD

Good day! How are you doing? I hope everyone is fine. So are you ready to learn? I
know you are. So on this session, you will understand the Human Biocultural and
Social Evolution.

Objectives:
At the end of this session, you are expected to be able to:
1. define what Conformity is;
2. define what Deviance is;
3. value the importance of Conformity and Deviance; and
4. differentiate Conformity from Deviances.

Please be guided with the following:

 First, read Information Sheet 3.4: Conformity and Deviance

a. What is Conformity?
b. What is Deviance?
c. What is the difference between conformity from deviance?

Note: Other means to understand the content:

 Attend the Online Synchronous Lecture thru zoom meeting to be scheduled
on the first week of school. Meeting ID will be sent thru our GROUP
CHATBOX.

 Second, perform Course Activity 3.4

Just in case you have questions, you may send it through our GROUP CHATBOX or
text 09267346581.

Reference: Lanuza, G. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (Raymundo, S.)(2016 Esition) Philippines/RexBookStore

Northlink Technological College

Learning Materials on Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Developed by: Lhoyd Jen M. Carredo, LPT
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Information Sheet 3.4:

Conformity and Deviance

What is Conformity?

Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order

to fit in with a group. This change is in response to real (involving the physical
presence of others) or imagined (involving the pressure of social norms / expectations)
group pressure. Conformity can also be simply defined as “yielding to group pressures”
(Crutchfield, 1955). Group pressure may take different forms, for example bullying,
persuasion, teasing, criticism, etc. Conformity is also known as majority influence (or
group pressure).
The term conformity is often used to indicate an agreement to the majority position,
brought about either by a desire to ‘fit in’ or be liked (normative) or because of a desire
to be correct (informational), or simply to conform to a social role (identification).
Jenness (1932) was the first psychologist to study conformity. His experiment was an
ambiguous situation involving a glass bottle filled with beans.
He asked participants individually to estimate how many beans the bottle contained.
Jenness then put the group in a room with the bottle, and asked them to provide a
group estimate through discussion. Participants were then asked to estimate the
number on their own again to find whether their initial estimates had altered based on
the influence of the majority.
Jenness then interviewed the participants individually again, and asked if they would
like to change their original estimates, or stay with the group's estimate. Almost all
changed their individual guesses to be closer to the group estimate.
However, perhaps the most famous conformity experiment was by Solomon Asch
(1951) and his line judgment experiment

Types of Conformity
Kelman (1958) distinguished between three different types of conformity:
 Compliance (or group acceptance)

Reference: Lanuza, G. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (Raymundo, S.)(2016 Esition) Philippines/RexBookStore

Northlink Technological College

Learning Materials on Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Developed by: Lhoyd Jen M. Carredo, LPT
 Page 3

This occurs 'when an individual accepts influence because he hopes to

achieve a favorable reaction from another person or group. He adopts the
induced behavior because....he expects to gain specific rewards or
approval and avoid specific punishment or disapproval by conformity'
(Kelman, 1958, p. 53).
In other words, conforming to the majority (publicly), in spite of not really
agreeing with them (privately). This is seen in Asch’s line experiment.
Compliance stops when there are no group pressures to conform, and is
therefore a temporary behavior change.
 Internalization (genuine acceptance of group norms)
This occurs 'when an individual accepts influence because the content of
the induced behavior - the ideas and actions of which it is composed - is
intrinsically rewarding. He adopts the induced behavior because it is
congruent [consistent] with his value system' (Kelman, 1958, p. 53).
Internalization always involves public and private conformity. A person
publicly changes their behavior to fit in with the group, while also agreeing
with them privately.
This is the deepest level of conformity were the beliefs of the group
become part of the individual’s own belief system. This means the change
in behavior is permanent. This is seen in Sherif’s autokinetic experiment.
This is most likely to occur when the majority have greater knowledge, and
members of the minority have little knowledge to challenge the majority
position.
 Identification (or group membership)
This occurs 'when an individual accepts influence because he wants to
establish or maintain a satisfying self-defining relationship to another
person or group' (Kelman, 1958, p. 53).
Individuals conform to the expectations of a social role, e.g. nurses, police
officers. It is similar to compliance as there does not have to be a change
in private opinion. A good example is Zimbardo's Prison Study.
Man (1969) identified an additional type of conformity:
Reference: Lanuza, G. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (Raymundo, S.)(2016 Esition) Philippines/RexBookStore

Northlink Technological College

Learning Materials on Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Developed by: Lhoyd Jen M. Carredo, LPT
 Page 4

 Ingratiational
This is when a person conforms 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, i.e., group pressure does not
enter the decision to conform.

What is Deviance?
Deviance, in a sociological context, describes actions or behaviors that violate informal
social norms or formally-enacted rules. Among those who study social norms and their
relation to deviance are sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and criminologists, all
of whom investigate how norms change and are enforced over time.
Deviance is often divided into two types of activities. The first, crime, is the violation of
formally enacted laws and is referred to as formal deviance. Examples of formal
deviance include robbery, theft, rape, murder, and assault. The second type of deviant
behavior involves violations of informal social norms (norms that have not been
codified into law) and is referred to as informal deviance. Examples of informal
deviance include picking one’s nose, belching loudly, or standing unnecessarily close
to another person.
Deviance can vary dramatically across cultures. Cultural norms are relative, which
makes deviant behavior relative as well. For instance, in the United States, Americans
do not generally impose time-based restrictions on speech. However, in the Christ
Desert Monastery, specific rules govern determine when residents can and cannot
speak, and speech is banned between 7:30 pm and 4:00 am. These rules are one
example of how norms vary across cultures.
Other examples include performers who may affect deviant behaviors in order to gain
credibility with an aim to increasing commercial profits.
 Formal Deviance: Deviance, in a sociological context, describes actions or
behaviors that violate social norms, including formally-enacted rules (e.g., crime),
as well as informal violations of social norms (e.g., rejecting folkways and
mores).
Reference: Lanuza, G. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (Raymundo, S.)(2016 Esition) Philippines/RexBookStore

Northlink Technological College

Learning Materials on Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Developed by: Lhoyd Jen M. Carredo, LPT
 Page 5

 Informal Deviance: Deviance, in a sociological context, describes actions or

behaviors that violate social norms, including formally-enacted rules (e.g., crime),
as well as informal violations of social norms (e.g., rejecting folkways and
mores).

Relation between Conformity, Deviance and Social Control

Conformity and deviance are two responses to real or imagined pressures from others.
Conformity means going along one’s peers—individuals of a person’s own status. A
recruit entering military service will typically conform to the habits and language of
other recruits.
Conformity is opposite to social deviance which implies obedience to the norms that
make a person acceptable in a particular society, group, or social setting. The concept
of conformity was also used by Robert Merton (1957) to refer to acceptance of cultural
goals and the legitimate or approved means of achieving them. In his scheme of
adaptations to the goals and means, only conformity to both indicates non-deviance.
Deviance is a behaviour that violates the standards of conduct or expectations or social
norms of a group or society. Alcoholics, gamblers, sex deviants, drug addicts or late
comers in the class are all classified as deviants or deviant acts.
Deviance involves the violation of group norms. It is a very comprehensive concept that
includes not only criminal behaviour but also many actions not subject to prosecution.
Standards of deviance vary from group to group and also vary over time. Moreover,
deviance can be understood within its social context.
A society must have social order if it is to function smoothly. But no society succeeds in
getting all its members to behave as expected all the time. When a person fails to
conform to the social norms of society, social deviation arises. If societies are to
survive, they must have ways of making people conform to social norms.
This situation gives rise to different types of controls—planned and unplanned or
persuasive and coercive. Control works two levels internal and external. Internal
controls are those that exist inside individuals. It is sometimes referred to as self-
control. It differs from social control. Self-control works from within while social control
is from without.

Reference: Lanuza, G. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (Raymundo, S.)(2016 Esition) Philippines/RexBookStore

Northlink Technological College

Learning Materials on Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Developed by: Lhoyd Jen M. Carredo, LPT
 Page 6

Course Activity 3.4

Name:

Set: Contact No.

A. Poster Essay Writing

Direction: Make a poster manifesting a scenario where conformity and deviance is
present. You can copy images from the internet or any magazines as long as you
cite the source. After you draw your poster, make an explanation of your poster.
Explain the conformity and deviance shown in the picture. See the rubric. (40
points)

Reference: Lanuza, G. (2016) Understanding Culture, Society and Politics (Raymundo, S.)(2016 Esition) Philippines/RexBookStore

Northlink Technological College

Learning Materials on Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
Developed by: Lhoyd Jen M. Carredo, LPT