Psychology Tuesday, September 26,

2023
Social Influence
Conformity: Types and Explanations

Psychological definition of Conformity:

A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of
real or imagined pressure from a person or group of
people. Aranson 2011

Types of Conformity:
Internalisation
 Occurs when people genuinely accept group norms.
 This results in private as well as public change of opinions/behaviours.
 Changes of opinions persists even in the absence of the group.

Identification
 Sometimes we conform to the opinions/behaviours of a group because there is
something about the group that we value.
 We identify with the group, so we want to be a part of it.
 May publicly change our opinions to achieve this even if we don’t privately agree.

Compliance
 This type of conformity involves simply going along with others in public and privately
not changing our personal opinion.
 Compliance is a superficial change.
 It means that this opinion/behaviour stops when the group aren’t present.

Example Type of Conformity

It is Oliver’s first day at college and he is keen to make a COMPLIANCE
good first impression. Oliver pretends to be interested in
other pupil’s conversations, even though he finds them
really boring.
It is also Helen’s first day of college. She really wants to join INTERNALISATION
the ‘cool’ group of girls in college, and they are known for
wearing pink all the time. She doesn’t normally wear pink,
but from then on she changes her clothes to always be pink,
so she joins the group.
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2023
In Science class, Ruby enters the classroom to find everyone COMPLIANCE
else sitting facing the back of the room. She’s not sure why
everyone is doing this, but she doesn’t want to look stupid
so sits facing the back of the room too.

A lot of Stevens friends listen to ‘Justin Bieber’. He doesn’t INTERNALISATION

like him very much, but his friends persuade him to listen to
his music. After listening to it, Steven actually enjoys the
music. His opinion has changed, and he books concert
tickets for Bieber.

In a maths class, the rest of the class give an answer of 23. INTERNALISATION/COMPLIANCE
Andrew has a different answer, but he believes his class is
probably right, so he changes his answer to 23.

Explanations for Conformity:

 Deutsch and Gerad 1955 developed a two-process theory, arguing that there are two main
reasons that people conform.
 These aew basd on our need to be right and our need to be liked (informtaional socaiol
influnve
 Normatove social influence.

Informational Social Influence (ISI):

 All about who has better information than you.
 For example., you may nit know the answer to a question in a g0class but if most og
the class agree on one answer youre likely to go i

Normative Social Influence (NSI):

Apply it!

Schultz et al (2008) found they were able to change the behaviour of hotel
guests by using printed messages encouraging them to save energy. The
messages that suggested other guests were using fewer bath towels were
the most successful

• Does this demonstrate ISI or NSI? Explain.

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Evaluation

• In Psychology we always have theories which attempt to explain

behaviour

• But they are only theories

• These may not be the true reason for the behaviour

• So we have to evaluate this theory to see to what extent it could be a

valid explanation

• We can evaluate theories in a positive way or a negative way (what’s

good about the theory and what’s bad about the theory)

• A way in which we can evaluate the theory in a positive way is through

using supporting evidence (This theory is good because this research
supports it by saying…)

Point: Research supporting for ISI

Evidence: Lucas et al (2006)

Explanation:
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2023
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Point: Individual differences in Normative Social Influence

Evidence: McGhee and Teevan (1967)

Explanation:

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Point: Informational social influence and normative social influence work together

Evidence: Deutch and Gerrard

Explanation:

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Point: Individual differences in Informational Social Influence

Evidence: Asch 1955

Explanation:

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Point: Research support for NSI

Evidence: Asch 1955

Explanation:

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Extra Notes

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