Conformity is when people change their attitudes, beliefs, or actions to match those of a group. Group norms are the unspoken rules that guide how people interact with others. Many people choose to follow group norms instead of acting on their own desires because it is often easier to follow what others have already decided. Conformity can happen in small groups or in society as a whole. It may occur because of quiet, unnoticed influences or because of direct pressure from others. People can conform even when they are alone, such as when eating or watching television, even if no one else is around.

Solomon Asch, a psychologist known for his research on obedience, showed how strong conformity can be through an experiment. In the experiment, Asch asked 50 male students to take part in a "vision test." One participant was placed in a room with seven others who were actually working with Asch. These others gave incorrect answers on purpose. The real participant had to decide whether to agree with the group or not. Surprisingly, about one-third of the participants agreed with the group’s clearly wrong answers during the most important parts of the test. Over the course of the experiment, about 75% of participants conformed at least once. This showed that people may follow a group even when they know the group is wrong, a phenomenon called normative influence. Many participants later said they did not agree with the group’s answers but chose to follow them to avoid standing out or because they believed the group was more knowledgeable. Another type of influence, called informational influence, happens when people look to others for help in making decisions, especially in unclear situations. People often follow group norms without realizing they are doing so, a process sometimes called the Chameleon effect, where people copy others’ gestures, posture, or speech without meaning to.

Conformity can happen intentionally or without realizing it. People often copy others’ actions, like how they speak or move, without thinking. Two main reasons for conformity are informational influence and normative influence. People conform due to informational influence when they believe the group has better knowledge. They conform due to normative influence when they fear being rejected. When a group’s belief is correct, informational influence is more important. When the group’s belief is incorrect, normative influence is more powerful.

People often conform to feel safe within a group, such as a group of similar age, culture, or background. This is called groupthink, where people avoid thinking for themselves and follow the group’s ideas, even if they are not correct. Not conforming can lead to being rejected by others. Conformity is often linked to youth culture but affects people of all ages. Conformity is also connected to obedience, as shown in Stanley Milgram’s study, where people followed authority figures not only because they were told to but also because they wanted to fit in or avoid conflict. Both conformity and obedience show how situations can strongly affect behavior.

Conformity can be helpful or harmful. For example, driving on the correct side of the road is a form of positive conformity. In early childhood, conformity helps people learn how to behave in society. Conformity helps create and keep social norms, which make societies run smoothly by reducing behaviors that go against shared rules. However, conformity can hurt group performance in changing situations but does not harm performance in stable situations.

According to Herbert Kelman, there are three types of conformity: 1) compliance, which is when people agree publicly to avoid disapproval; 2) identification, which is a deeper form of conformity than compliance; and 3) internalization, which is when people agree both publicly and privately.

Factors that affect how much people conform include culture, gender, age, group size, the situation, and the type of stimulus. In some cases, minority influence, a form of informational influence, can change the majority’s views and behaviors.

Definition and context

Conformity is when people change their thoughts, opinions, or actions to match the rules or expectations of a group. These rules, called norms, are unspoken guidelines that a group follows. People may follow these rules to be accepted by others in the group.

Some teenagers gain approval from their friends by following group rules. This kind of conformity becomes more common as children grow into teenagers. It follows a pattern that starts high in early childhood, increases the most in sixth and ninth grades, and then decreases. Teenagers often believe that if many people do something, it must be correct. However, they are more likely to follow group rules when the activities are neutral, such as playing sports, enjoying entertainment, or helping others, rather than doing things that harm others. Studies show that people who strongly identify with their friends or groups are more likely to adopt the beliefs and actions of those groups.

The presence of others can also affect whether someone follows group rules. In 1898, Norman Triplett discovered that being around others, especially peers, can influence behavior. People are often influenced by others of the same age, especially those who are similar to them.

According to Donelson Forsyth, after giving in to group pressure, people may respond in different ways. These responses depend on whether they agree with the group publicly, privately, or both.

If someone agrees with a group’s decision in public but disagrees privately, they are showing compliance or apparent conformity. This means their actions do not always match their true beliefs, which is similar to a theory called cognitive dissonance. On the other hand, conversion, or private acceptance, happens when someone agrees with the group both publicly and privately. In this case, the person changes their beliefs to match the group.

Another type of response, called convergence, happens when someone agrees with the group’s decision from the start and does not need to change their opinion.

Forsyth also explains that not conforming can be divided into two types. First, independence, or dissent, is when someone refuses to follow group pressure and stays true to their own values. Second, anticonformity or counterconformity is when someone takes a stance opposite to the group’s beliefs. This may be driven by a desire to rebel rather than to be correct.

In summary, responses to conformity range from complete agreement with the group (conversion) to complete disagreement (anticonformity). For example, the Asch conformity experiments, a famous study, often show compliance and independence. Other groups, such as juries, sports teams, and work teams, also experience different types of conformity responses.

Main experiments

Muzafer Sherif studied how people change their opinions to match those of a group. In his experiment, participants were placed in a dark room and asked to look at a small dot of light 15 feet away. They were then asked to estimate how much the light moved. The light did not actually move, but it appeared to because of a trick of the eye called the autokinetic effect. Participants gave estimates ranging from 1 to 10 inches. On the first day, each person saw different amounts of movement, but from the second to the fourth day, they began to agree on the same estimate. Over time, their answers became similar when they discussed their opinions aloud. Sherif believed this experiment showed how social norms develop in society, creating a shared way for people to understand things. His findings showed that people often rely on others to help them understand unclear situations.

Later experiments used more realistic situations. In one, participants were asked to identify a suspect in a lineup. They had only one second to make a choice, making the task very hard. One group was told their answers would be used by the legal system, while the other was told it was just an experiment. Those who believed their answers were important were more likely to conform, with 51% conforming compared to 35% in the other group. Sherif’s study helped other researchers, like Solomon Asch, study how people influence each other.

Solomon E. Asch changed Sherif’s experiment to see if people would conform less when a task was clear. Participants were shown lines and asked to match one to a standard line. Most of the other people in the group were helpers who gave wrong answers. The results showed that 74% of participants conformed at least once, and on average, they conformed one-third of the time. Asch wanted to know if the size of a group or its agreement mattered more. He tested groups of different sizes and found that as more people gave wrong answers, participants were more likely to conform. However, after three or more people gave wrong answers, the effect stayed the same.

Asch’s experiment also showed that conformity can be both strong and weak. People often followed the group even when they knew the answer was wrong. However, if one person in the group gave the correct answer, participants were more likely to choose the right answer. Writing answers instead of saying them aloud also helped people avoid conforming because their answers were hidden.

Stanley Milgram’s experiment studied how people obey authority. Participants were asked to give fake electric shocks to another person, increasing in intensity. Even though the shocks were harmful, 65% of participants followed orders to the highest level, even if they were uncomfortable. All participants gave shocks at least to 300 volts. The experiment showed that obedience depended on the authority’s position and the victim’s location. When the authority was in another room, obedience dropped to 20.5%. When the victim was in the same room, obedience dropped to 40%.

Philip G. Zimbardo’s experiment studied how people act in roles. He used Stanford students and assigned them roles as "prisoners" or "guards" in a pretend prison. The experiment was stopped early because the "guards" became cruel, and the "prisoners" became very upset. Zimbardo, who was in charge, became too emotionally involved and delayed ending the experiment. This showed that people can quickly take on roles and behave badly when given power. This can be seen in real life, such as in prisons, schools, or places with strict rules.

Varieties

Harvard psychologist Herbert Kelman identified three main types of conformity.

• Compliance is when a person agrees with others publicly but may still hold their own beliefs privately. This often happens because of the desire to be accepted or the fear of being rejected.
• Identification happens when a person follows someone they admire, such as a celebrity or a family member. This type of conformity is deeper than compliance and is influenced by how likable or respected the person is.
• Internalization occurs when a person truly accepts a belief or behavior, both publicly and privately, especially if the person providing the information is trustworthy. This is the most lasting type of conformity.

Although Kelman’s ideas were important, later research in social psychology focused more on two types of conformity: informational conformity and normative conformity. In Kelman’s terms, these are similar to internalization and compliance, respectively. However, society has many factors that influence people, and the idea of "varieties" of conformity based on social influence is not clearly defined.

According to Deutsch and Gérard (1955), conformity happens because of two types of conflicts. A motivational conflict occurs when a person wants to be accepted by others but also wants to express their own thoughts. This leads to normative influence. A cognitive conflict happens when others make a person doubt their own beliefs, leading to informational influence.

Informational social influence happens when a person looks to others in a group for help in understanding a situation. This is most likely to happen when a situation is unclear or during a crisis when quick action is needed. People may rely on others for answers, even though others are not always correct. Experts are often trusted because of their knowledge, but even experts can make mistakes. Informational influence often leads to internalization, where a person truly believes the information is correct.

Normative social influence happens when a person conforms to be liked or accepted by a group. This need for approval is natural for humans. People who do not conform may be disliked or punished by the group. Normative influence usually results in public compliance, where a person follows a group without truly believing in it. An example is Asch’s 1951 experiment, where participants often gave incorrect answers to avoid being rejected. However, later studies suggested that participants might have been unsure of the correct answers and that they did not know each other, reducing the fear of rejection.

Hodges and Geyer (2006) later reanalyzed Asch’s data and found that participants were not as conformist as previously thought. The experiments showed that people often choose to tell the truth even when others do not, and they care about others’ well-being. These situations require balancing truth, trust, and social unity. Other factors, like caring about others and scientific research, also play a role.

Deutsch and Gérard (1955) tested different situations and found that when participants wrote their answers privately, they were more likely to give the correct answer.

Normative influence, as explained by social impact theory, has three parts:
1. Group size: The larger the group, the less influence each person has.
2. Group strength: Groups that are more important to a person have more influence.
3. Immediacy: The closer the group is in time or space, the more influence it has.

Psychologists use these factors to create models that predict how much conformity occurs.

Baron and others studied eyewitnesses and found that when a task was easier (participants had five seconds to look at a slide instead of one second), people with low motivation to be accurate conformed more often (33%) than those with high motivation (16%). This shows that when accuracy is not important, people may choose to conform to avoid social disapproval.

An experiment similar to Asch’s found that groups of friends conformed less than groups of strangers. Friends may feel less pressure to conform because they already accept each other. However, studies on smoking and alcohol use show that friends can still influence each other through normative pressure.

Minority influence

Conformity usually causes people to think and act like the group they are part of. However, sometimes individuals can change the group instead. This is called minority influence, which is a type of informational influence. Minority influence is more likely to work when the minority clearly and consistently explains their ideas. If the minority is unsure or changes their opinions, it is less likely to influence the group. A minority that presents strong, convincing reasons increases the chance of changing the majority's beliefs and actions. Minority members who are seen as experts, have high status, or have helped the group before are more likely to be successful.

Another type of minority influence can sometimes cause problems in groups. A 2007 review of 24 studies by the University of Washington found that one uncooperative or careless group member, called a "bad apple," can increase conflicts and lower the group's performance. These members often create a negative mood that harms how the group works together. Careful selection processes can help avoid such members, and moving them to roles with less social interaction can manage their impact.

Specific predictors

Stanley Milgram discovered that people in Norway (from a group-oriented culture) showed more conformity than people in France (from an individual-focused culture). Similarly, Berry studied two groups: the Temne (group-oriented) and the Inuit (individual-focused). He found that the Temne conformed more than the Inuit during a task that tested conformity.

Bond and Smith reviewed 134 studies and found that countries with stronger group-oriented values had higher rates of conformity in the Asch experiment. They also noted that conformity in the United States has decreased over time.

Many scholars in the late 1800s and early 1900s, such as Basil Hall Chamberlain and Ruth Benedict, believed Japanese culture had higher conformity than American culture. However, these beliefs were based on stories and casual observations, not scientific research. Modern studies show that Americans and Japanese people conform at similar rates, and sometimes Americans conform more in certain situations. For example, a 1970 study by Robert Frager found that fewer Japanese participants made mistakes in the Asch experiment compared to Americans, especially when rewards were involved. A 2008 study found no major differences in conformity between Japanese and American groups, even when comparing peers from the same college clubs.

Societal norms often create differences in how men and women conform. Alice Eagly and Linda Carli reviewed 148 studies and found that women are more likely to conform than men in situations where others are watching. Eagly suggests this may be because women are often taught to be agreeable, while men are taught to be independent.

The makeup of a group also affects conformity. In a study by Reitan and Shaw, people conformed more when groups had both men and women compared to groups with only one gender. Participants in mixed groups felt more uncertain when group members disagreed, which made them question their own opinions. Sistrunk and McDavid argued that women might conform more because studies often use male-focused examples (like sports or cars) instead of female-focused ones (like cooking or fashion), which could make women feel unsure.

Research shows that conformity decreases as people grow older. A study of Australian children and teens aged 3 to 17 found that younger people conformed more than older ones. Another study of people aged 18 to 91 also found that older individuals conformed less than younger ones.

Age can also affect status. Berger, Rosenholtz, and Zelditch suggested that younger college students are often seen as lower status, while older students are seen as higher status. This means younger people might conform more to the majority, while older people might resist conformity.

Studies have also found that gender and age interact in how people conform. Eagly and Chrvala studied how age (under 19 vs. 19 and older), gender, and whether participants thought their answers would be shared with others affected conformity. They found that women aged 19 and older conformed more than men in situations where they thought their answers would be shared. However, younger participants (under 19) and those not sharing answers showed no gender differences. Eagly suggests that women may conform more due to lower societal status, but this conflicts with other research showing younger people conform more than older ones.

Asch’s 1951 experiment showed that group size increases conformity up to a group of three people. Beyond that, larger groups do not increase conformity further. Brown and Byrne (1997) suggested people might suspect group members are working together when the majority is larger than three or four. Gerard (1968) found a direct relationship between group size and conformity when groups had two to seven members. Latane (1981) noted that while group size affects conformity, other factors like how strong or immediate the group’s influence is also matter.

Studies also show that group size impacts conformity differently depending on the type of influence. When a group is clearly wrong, people may conform to fit in (normative influence). However, if only one person gives an incorrect answer, others may not feel pressure to conform. But as more group members give the same wrong answer, pressure to conform increases.

Other factors that influence conformity include accountability, group attractiveness, accuracy of the group’s decisions, task clarity, and difficulty. If someone is accountable to a group, they are more likely to conform. Attractive group members also increase conformity. People are more likely to conform if the group’s decisions are accurate or reasonable. Larger groups also increase conformity. When tasks are clear, people are more likely to conform, but when tasks are unclear, conformity decreases. Task difficulty increases conformity, but research shows this depends on the situation.