Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin What Is Conformity?Conformity is the act of changing your behaviors in order to fit in or go along with the people around you. In some cases, this social influence might involve agreeing with or acting like the majority of people in a specific group, or it might involve behaving in a particular way in order to be perceived as "normal" by the group. Show
Essentially, conformity involves giving in to group pressure. Why We ConformResearchers have found that people conform for a number of different reasons. In many cases, looking to the rest of the group for clues for how we should behave can be helpful. Other people might have greater knowledge or experience than we do, so following their lead can actually be instructive. In some instances, we conform to the expectations of the group in order to avoid looking foolish. This tendency can become particularly strong in situations where we are not quite sure how to act or where the expectations are ambiguous. In 1955, Deutsch and Gerard identified two key reasons why people conform: informational influence and normative influence.
HistoryConformity is something that happens regularly in our social worlds. Sometimes we are aware of our behavior, but in many cases, it happens without much thought or awareness on our parts. In some cases, we go along with things that we disagree with or behave in ways that we know we shouldn't. Some of the best-known experiments on the psychology of conformity deal with people going along with the group, even when they know the group is wrong. Jenness's 1932 ExperimentIn one of the earliest experiments on conformity, Jenness asked participants to estimate the number of beans in a bottle. They first estimated the number individually and then later as a group. After they were asked as a group, they were then asked again individually. The experimenter found that their estimates shifted from their original guess to closer to what other members of the group had guessed. Sherif's Autokinetic Effect ExperimentsIn a series of experiments, Muzafer Sherif asked participants to estimate how far a dot of light in a dark room moved. In reality, the dot was static, but it appeared to move due to something known as the autokinetic effect. Essentially, tiny movements of the eyes make it appear that a small spot of light is moving in a dark room. When asked individually, the participants' answers varied considerably. When asked as part of a group, however, Sherif found that the responses converged toward a central mean. Sherif's results, published in 1935, demonstrated that in an ambiguous situation, people will conform to the group, an example of informational influence. Asch's Conformity ExperimentsIn this series of famous experiments, conducted in the 1950s, psychologist Solomon Asch asked participants to complete what they believed was a simple perceptual task. They were asked to choose a line that matched the length of one of three different lines. When asked individually, participants would choose the correct line. When asked in the presence of confederates who were in on the experiment and who intentionally selected the wrong line, around 75% of participants conformed to the group at least once. This experiment is a good example of normative influence. Participants changed their answer and conformed to the group in order to fit in and avoid standing out. Stanford Prison Experiment In this controversial experiment, conducted in 1971, Philip Zimbardo
simulated a prison setting to see how people's behavior would change according to the role they were given (prisoner or prison guard). It showed that behavior was affected by the expectations of the role. However, there are many criticisms of this experiment and its results. Types of ConformityNormative and informational influences are two important types of conformity, but there are also a number of other reasons why we conform. Normative ConformityThis type of conformity involves changing one's behavior in order to fit in with a group. For example, a teenager might dress in a certain style because they want to look like their peers who are members of a particular group. Informational ConformityIn this case, conformity is looking to the group for information and direction (this happens when a person lacks knowledge). Think of attending your first class at a new yoga studio. You would probably watch what others were doing to see where you should hang your coat, stow your shoes, unroll your mat, and so on. IdentificationIdentification is conforming based on social roles. The Stanford Prison Experiment is an example of this type of conformity. ComplianceCompliance is changing one's behavior while still internally disagreeing with the group. For example, you might read a book for your book club and really enjoy it. But at your meeting, you learn that the other members all disliked the book. Rather than go against the group opinion, you might simply agree that the book was terrible. Internalization This type of conformity involves changing one's behavior to be like another person. You might notice this in a friend who's taste in music or movies shifts to match that of their romantic partner. Influential FactorsHuman behavior and psychology is complex. People may conform in some situations and not in others, depending on factors including:
Potential Pitfalls of ConformityWhile it is often beneficial to fit in with a group, sometimes conformity can have undesirable consequences. For example, feeling like you have to change your appearance or personality to be a member of a group might lower your self-esteem. Succumbing to peer pressure could lead to risky or illegal behavior, such as underage drinking. Or, conformity might lead to a bystander effect, in which going along with the group means failing to act when someone is in need. A desire to conform might also limit your openness to new ideas or arguments. And conforming with a group could even result in feelings or acts of prejudice. A Word From VerywellUnderstanding conformity can help you make sense of the reasons why some people go along with the crowd, even when their choices seem out of character for them. It can also help you see how other people's behavior may influence the choices you make. Frequently Asked Questions
What is social influence called?Conformity is a type of social influence defined as a change in belief or behavior in response to real or imagined social pressure. It is also known as majority influence.
What social influence refers to changing one's behavior due to the request or direction of another person?What Is Compliance? In psychology, compliance refers to changing one's behavior at the request or direction of another person. 1. Unlike obedience, in which the individual making the request for change is in a position of authority, compliance does not rely a power differential.
What is a type of social influence in which individuals change their attitude or behaviour in order to adhere or to stick to the existing social norms?Conformity is a type of social influence involving a change in behavior, belief, or thinking to align with those of others or with normative standards.
What are the 3 categories of social influence?3 THREE TYPES OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE. There are three types of influence that a social presence can have on a consumer: utilitarian, value-expressive, and informational (Burnkrant & Cousineau, 1975; Deutsch & Gerard, 1955; Park & Lessig, 1977).
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