Types of Conformity

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Types of Conformity

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Compliance - Lowest form of conformity

This refers to instances where a person may agree in public with a group of people, but the person actually privately disagrees with the group's viewpoint or behaviour. The individual changes their views, but it is a temporary change. For example, a person may laugh at a joke because their group of friends find it funny, but deep down the person themselves do not find the joke funny.

Identification - Second lowest form of conformity

This is similar to compliance in that it is only temporary, however with identification a person doesn't just temporarily change their beliefs/behaviour publicly, but also privately. A person does this in order to "identify" themselves as a member of some group, and this lasts only when they are with them.

Internalisation - Highest form of conformity

This is publicly changing behaviour to fit in with the group while also agreeing with them privately. An internal (private) and external (public) change of behaviour. This is the deepest level of conformity where the beliefs of a group become part of the individual's own belief system.