Conformity

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 or imagined group pressure.
It may take different forms, for example bullying, persuasion, teasing, criticism,
etc.
Used to indicate an agreement to the majority position, brought about a desire
to ‘fit in’ or be liked or because of a desire to be correct (informational).
 Types

Normative : Involves changing one's behavior in order to fit in with the group.
Informational : Happens when a person lacks the knowledge and looks to the
group for information and direction.
Identification : Occurs when people conform to what is expected of them based on
their social roles.
Compliance : Involves changing one's behavior while still internally disagreeing
with the group.
Internalisation : Occurs when a person changes his behavior so as to be like
another person.
 Influential Factors
The difficulty of the task: Leads to both increased and decreased conformity.

Individual differences: Personal characteristics such as motivation and strong leadership

abilities are linked with a decreased tendency to conform.

The size of the group: People are more likely to conform in situations that involve more
number of people.

Characteristics of the situation: People are more likely to conform in ambiguous situations
where they are unclear about how they should respond.

Cultural differences: Researchers have found that people from collectivist cultures are more
likely to conform.