Social influence

1. Conformity
2. Obedience
3. Minority influence
What is conformity?
• Watch the film clip (Dead Poet’s Society)
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqY_1BH7TNQ
• How would you define the term ‘conformity’?
1. Write your own definition on a mini-whiteboard
2. Compare with others on your table
3. Come up with an agreed definition for your
table
4. Check the textbook, then write down a
definition that makes sense to you
 Types of conformity
• Edward is unwillingly at the cinema with his parents and some of
his parent’s loud and opinionated friends. When discussing the
film afterwards, all of the adults loved it, Edward says he thought
it was great too, although secretly he thought it was rubbish.
• When Jacob was 17, he regularly watched horror films with his
friends, the films scared him a bit but he enjoyed the food and
laughs with his friends as they watched, he looked up to his
friends as role models and by watching horror films, he felt more
included.
• Bella loves Pixar films. She started watching them as a kid when
her friends all loved them. She now has a new group of friends
who aren’t into Pixar films but she still happily watches Pixar films
when she is on her own.
These three people show different types of conformity – can
you explain how each person’s behaviour is different?
Learn it

3 types of conformity

Shallow
conformity
Using a full page, create your own
diagram and use the textbooks to
Moderate match the following names,
conformity descriptions and examples to each
type of conformity

The deepest level of

conformity
Identification A private as well as When you truly agree A very superficial
public change in that an opinion is change in behaviour
behaviour correct

You behave in a You enjoy listening to You don’t agree at all Compliance
certain way so that dance music with the with the behaviour
other strangers don’t group but when you but you do it to avoid
judge you negatively all go to different feeling awkward or to
universities, you will avoid confrontation
start listening to other
music that you prefer
more.

You continue to Internalisation You enjoy listening to You conform because

believe/behave in a dance music even you value the group
certain way even if though nobody that and want to be part
others around you you are friends with of it – conformity to
disagree likes it role models

This leads to a It is part of your You don’t always You hate dogs who
permanent change in private belief system completely agree with perform to music but
behaviour the group but you like you clap along with
them so you listen to the audience anyway
their ideas sincerely
 Apply it, test it
1. Apply it - complete the worksheet – match
each scenario to a type of conformity
2. Test it – Question 1 on p17 (‘check it’), write
out the question and a full answer
 Exam practice
3. Test it – scenario question
Jan and Norah have just finished their first year at Be clear which girl shows
university where they lived in a house with six which type of
other students. All the other students were very conformity and refer to
health conscious and ate only organic food. Jan scenario to justify your
had listened to their point of view and now she choices and also refer to
also eats only organic food. Norah was happy to definitions of the
eat organic food while in the house, but when she relevant types of
went home for the holidays she ate whatever her conformity. I.e. Norah
mother cooked. Both girls conformed, but for displays x because she
different reasons. Explain which type of conformity did …which shows…
each girl was showing. (4) June 2011 Refer to both girls.
 More exam practice
Test it – Distinguish between compliance and
identification (2 marks)

This question is asking for a difference – be sure to make a clear

comparison and use words like ‘whereas’ or ‘on the other hand’ – you
cannot simply describe each type, find something to compare them on
ie, level of permanence or how they feel about the group, you get
credit for examples too