Social Influences 1.1- Types of conformity

Conformity- is a type of social influence defined as a change in belief or behaviour in response to real or imagined pressures, commonly known as the MAJORITY INFLUENCE.

There are three types of conformity:

• Compliance AO1

-refers to instances where a person may agree in public within a group, but in private they disagree with the majority

-individuals change their views and behaviours so that they fit in with the norm.

e.g. a person may laugh at a joke because everyone else is, however inside they don’t think it is funny

STUDY LINK

ASCH line study, minority agrees with the majority, even though they know it is wrong. (see variables affecting conformity for full study details)

• Internalisation AO1

-publicly changing behaviour to fit in with the group, while also agreeing with them in private. An internal (private) and external (public) change in behaviour.

-this is the deepest form of conformity due to the groups belief becoming part of the individuals life.

eg. living with a vegetarian, then becoming one

STUDY LINK

JENNES bean study, participants asked to estimate the bean count in a jar privately, and then in a group, the private estimates change when brought together in a group, as the groups estimates sounded more believable

• Identification AO1

-occurs when someone conforms to the demands of a given social role in society such as, a policeman or a teacher.

-this type extends over several aspects of external behaviours, however may not be a change in internal belief.

STUDY LINK

ZIMBARDO Stanford prison experiment, guards began to identify in their social role of a real guard and began to play up to their role (see conformity to social roles for full study)

Ways of teaching and delivering-

-Give students the three types of conformity and definitions, get students to think of examples of each type, which they can use in their exam questions, discuss as a group and then ask which studies the students know that can link with each type of conformity.

-Give short answer questions post delivery to see if students remember the definition.