What are the different types of conformity?

There are three types of conformity: compliance, identification and internalisation. Compliance is the shallowest form of conformitiy, and occurs when you publicly change your feelings, beliefs or behaviour but not privately, e.g. when I went to uni my flatmates were all vegetarians so I didn't eat meat to fit in even though I like it. Identification involves both the public and private changing of feelings, beliefs or behaviour, but only when in the presence of a specific social group, e.g. I am a vegetarian at uni because our whole flat is but when I go home for holidays I eat meat. This differs from compliance as while in the group your private views change. Lastly, identification is the deepest form of conformity, and often results in long term changes to both public and private feelings, beliefs or behaviour. Identification is usually based on information, whereas compliance is based on social factors like wanting to fit in e.g I am a vegetarian both in and out of uni, because my flatmates are and they told me all the benefits of being a vegetarian and why it's better.

JK
Answered by Jessica K. Psychology tutor

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