Conformity is a change in behaviour or opinions due to real or imagined pressure from a person/group of people.

Herbet Kelman (1958) claims that there are there are three different ways in which people conform:

• [[Internalisation]]
• [[Identification]]
• [[Compliance]]

The act of conforming is explained by Social Influence.

Types

Internalisation

Internalisation is when a person genuinely believes and accepts a group’s view, resulting in both public and private change of opinions/behaviour, becoming a part of the way they think.

• Genuinely believes a group’s view
• Public and private change of opinions/behaviour
• Influences their thought process

Example: Religion

Identification

Identification has elements of both [[#Compliance]] and [[#Internalisation]]. It is when a person conforms to a group’s behaviour in order to feel apart of a group. This leads to identifying and changing their behaviours publicly to be apart of the group ([[#Compliance]]) and accepting some/all behaviours ([[#Internalisation]]).

• Wants to feel apart of a group
• Publicly change of behaviour
• Privately identifying

Example: Uniform

Compliance

Compliance is when a person only goes along a group’s behaviour in order to fit in, often to gain approval/avoid disappointment of others.

• Only go along with a view in order to fit in
• To gain approval/avoid disappointment of others

Example: Laughing at an unfunny joke