Interneisering

Interneisering, or internalization, is the process by which external norms, values, rules, and expectations become part of an individual's own belief system, guiding behavior even when external controls are absent. It marks a transition from compliance based on rewards or sanctions to self-regulation grounded in personally endorsed standards.

The process unfolds through socialization, with family, peers, schools, and media transmitting norms. Cognitive appraisal, emotional alignment, and repeated practice help solidify these norms into identity and self-efficacy. Over time, actions become more automatic, reflecting the internalized standards rather than immediate external pressures. The concept is closely related to habitus in sociology, where dispositions become durable orientations.

Interneisering can be discussed at different levels, including normative internalization (adopting shared social rules), moral internalization (endorsement of ethical beliefs), and role internalization (identifying with professional or cultural roles). It is related to, but distinct from, psychodynamic introjection (internalizing external objects or pressures) and from externalization (acting on external demands).

Applications span education, child development, organizational behavior, and criminology. In schools, curricula and pedagogy aim to promote internalization of civic, scientific, or ethical norms. In organizations, corporate culture is internalized by employees, shaping behavior beyond formal rules. In criminology, higher levels of internalization predict conformity and lower propensity toward deviant acts.

Critiques emphasize that internalization can reflect power relations and cultural hegemony, potentially suppressing dissent. Cross-cultural variation complicates assumptions about universal internalization. Methodological challenges arise in measuring the depth and durability of internalized norms, and it may coexist with conscious rejection of norms in some contexts.