Conformity
Adjusting behavior or judgment in relation to group influence.
Definition
Conformity is a change in behavior or judgment toward a group’s perceived pattern or expectations.
How to understand it
People may align to gain acceptance, or because others seem to possess useful information. These motives are often called normative and informational influence. Conformity can involve outward agreement without private acceptance, and it need not require a direct instruction from someone with recognized authority.
When analyzing a shared response, ask whether people changed because of group influence or arrived independently at the same conclusion. Similarity alone does not establish conformity. Comparing private and public responses can clarify a case, but even that comparison needs attention to the information and pressures available in each setting.
Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020); (Burger, Conformity and Obedience, n.d.)
Choosing a project format
Teaching scenario
In an imagined workshop, an attendee privately prefers a short audio project. After several peers enthusiastically choose posters, the attendee publicly selects a poster because they fear seeming difficult. Another attendee chooses a poster because the group explains that the venue has no speakers. Both move toward the group’s choice, but the stated reasons differ. If a third already preferred posters, the shared answer would not show a change. The example illustrates acceptance and information as distinguishable possibilities without treating either as a complete explanation of every participant.
Constructed for learning. This scenario is not a report of an empirical finding or a diagnosis.
Common confusion: Obedience
Conformity responds to group influence or norms; obedience involves responding to an order from a perceived authority.
Compare conformity and obedience
Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020); (Burger, Conformity and Obedience, n.d.)
Limits of the concept
- Matching other people does not by itself establish social influence.
- Conformity can support coordination or error; its value depends on context.
Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020); (Burger, Conformity and Obedience, n.d.)
Textbook connection
Direct coveragePsychology 2e: 12.4 Conformity, Compliance, and Obedience
The subsection explicitly discusses this concept.
Supplementary concepts may extend beyond this section. The source notes below identify the evidence for those details.
Related concepts
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Sources and inspection notes
Checked October 21, 2026. An inspection date is not a source publication date. Definitions and scenarios on this page are original teaching explanations.
- Burger, conformity and obedience. (n.d.). https://nobaproject.com/modules/conformity-and-obedienceExpert-authored academic teaching module
Conformity, informational influence, descriptive norms, and obedience coverage checked. Inspected on 21 October 2026.
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-4-conformity-compliance-and-obedienceCourse textbook subsection
Title, URL, and relevant subsection text inspected on 21 October 2026. Used for concept checking and course navigation; no textbook exercises or illustrations reproduced.