TYPES OF CONFORMITY: INTERNALISATION, IDENTIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE

01 TYPES OF CONFORMITY - WHAT ARE THEY?

Name	Explanation	Example
Internalisation	When an individual genuinely adopts the beliefs or behaviours of a group because they accept them as correct, leading to a permanent change.	A student converts to a new religion after joining a religious group at university and continues practising it even when alone.
Identification	When an individual conforms to the expectations of a group because they value membership in that group. However, the change may only be temporary.	A teenager starts supporting a particular football team because their friends do, but loses interest when they leave that group.
Compliance	When an individual outwardly conforms to group norms but does not change their internal beliefs. It is a superficial and temporary type of conformity.	A student laughs at a joke their friends find funny, even though they do not find it amusing themselves.

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02 What are the differences?

• Internalisation vs Identification

  • WHEREAS internalisation results in a permanent change in beliefs or behaviour because the individual truly accepts the group's norms, identification is only temporary and occurs because the individual values their membership in the group.

• Identification vs Compliance

  • WHEREAS identification involves adopting behaviours because of a desire to be associated with a group (even if it is not fully internalised), compliance is purely superficial, and the individual conforms only to avoid group pressure or gain approval.

• Compliance vs Internalisation

  • WHEREAS compliance is a short-term and surface-level change where the individual does not truly accept the group norms, internalisation leads to a deep, long-lasting change as the person genuinely believes in the group's views.

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03 Apply your knowledge

Liam and Sophie’s behaviour can be explained using types of conformity.

Liam's behaviour demonstrates compliance because he only adopted a vegan lifestyle while at university due to the influence of his friends. However, since he did not truly agree with the reasons behind it, he returned to consuming animal products once he was no longer surrounded by them. This shows that his conformity was superficial and temporary.

In contrast, Sophie’s behaviour reflects internalisation because she continues to follow a vegan lifestyle even after leaving university. This suggests that she genuinely agrees with the arguments for veganism and has permanently adopted this belief, meaning her conformity has led to a long-lasting change in her attitudes and behaviour.

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