konformim

Konformim is the process by which individuals adjust their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors to align with the norms, expectations, or rules of a group or society. It involves changing conduct in response to real or imagined pressure from others. The concept is central to social psychology and sociology as a mechanism of social cohesion and influence.

Two main forms of influence underlie konformim: normative social influence, where people conform to be liked or accepted, and informational social influence, where they conform because others are believed to possess better information. A related distinction is between public conformity (outward change) and private acceptance (genuine belief change).

Kelman (1958) identified three types of conformity: compliance (outward change without private belief shift), identification (adopting a group’s views to belong), and internalization (true belief change). Classic Asch experiments showed people often align with a majority on simple judgments, especially when the group is large and unanimous.

Cultural and situational factors affect konformim. Conformity tends to be higher in collectivist cultures and in high-status group contexts. In modern settings, online and social media norms can create strong pressures to conform, influencing behavior, opinion formation, and group decision making.

Scholarly critiques emphasize that conformity is not inherently good or bad; outcomes depend on context and power dynamics. Some studies face concerns about replication and ecological validity, and researchers distinguish conformity from obedience, persuasion, and compliance.