Conformity- change in behavior or belief as a result of real or imagined influence of others Forms:

  1. Compliance: outwardly going with the group while inwardly disagreeing
  2. Acceptance: believing as well as acting according to social pressure

When we conform:

  1. Informational social influence: Conform because we see other people as a source of info.
  2. Normative social influence: Conformity in order to be liked and accepted by others (public compliance without private acceptance)

Informational Social Influence: when?

  1. When situation is ambiguous (most crucial)
  2. When the situation is a crisis (we panic)
  3. When other people are experts (we trust experts)

Normative social influence:

Lantane’s social impact theory: conforming to normative pressures depends on 1. Strength (personal importance) 2. Immediacy (physical proximity) 3. # of other people in group