Have you ever said you like something just because your friends like it? If so, then you have been subject to conformity. Conformity is a type of social influence that happens when we change our attitudes, beliefs or behaviour, so we ‘fit in’ with a group or people whom we like or admire. When we do this, we are behaving according to their norms. Unlike obedience, conformity does not rely on an authority figure, but simply on our need to belong.
Maybe you could try this with your friends, or in class.
In groups of four or five people, try and construct some lists of things you all really like. Food, sports, films, TV series and social media influencers are good for starters. You will be able to think of more. The only catch is that you all must tell the truth; no pretending to like something just because the others do. You may be surprised at how short the lists are. Were you tempted to go along with group opinion, or did you find it easy to make your own true opinions clear?
The temptation to conform to the group can be very strong, and this is often due to normative social influence. While conformity itself is usually fairly harmless, can you think of instances where conforming to group behaviour has had a bad outcome for you personally?
Normative social influence and informational social influence
Deutsch and Gerrard (1955) identified two different types of social influence that led to conformity.
Normative social influence
This is when we fit in with the person or group because we fear rejection and we want to belong. Maybe we pretend to like the things they do, or we dress like them. It does not matter whether we really agree with them, so long as we appear to and therefore we fit in.
Informational social influence
This happens because we believe the person or group has information that we do not have, and so we think we should conform as they are probably right in what they are saying or doing.
Types of conformity
There are several different types of conformity. Try to think of your own example for each one.
Compliance: you conform to a group’s behaviour publicly, but privately you disagree. Associated with normative social influence. Reason: wanting to be socially accepted by others. Example: you go with them to a certain rock concert and pretend to like the band, but really you dislike their music and would never play it at home.
Identification: you change your behaviour temporarily to conform to a role model or to a group’s norms. Reason: at the time, you like them and their behaviour and want to appear the same. This can be a stage in growing up, as you seek your own identity. Example: you love the way your close friends dress and so you imitate their style. This also happens if you have a job that requires you to wear a uniform, maybe as a nurse or a police officer; you identify with the social role that wearing the uniform requires, especially when you are wearing it. This falls between normative and informational social influence.
Internalisation: this is the strongest type of conformity, as you change your beliefs entirely and take on the role model’s or group’s norms as your own. This can often result in a permanent change in behaviour. Associated with informational social influence and can be linked to joining religious or other groups that gather around certain beliefs. Reason: you judge that the group’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviour are correct, even though you may not have thought so when you first met them. Example: your university includes a group of students that is committed to climate action and refuses to travel by air, as aircraft burn fossil fuel and add to global carbon dioxide. You joined them initially for social reasons, but soon accept their beliefs and decide to accompany them on protests and reconsider how you travel.
You may be saying, “Not me. I’m an individualist and don’t conform unless I choose to. I have free will!” But read the latest book Determined by Robert Sapolsky, and you may change your mind. It seems free will is just an illusion.