konformita

Konformita, or conformity, is a social-psychological process in which people adjust their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to align with perceived group norms or expectations. The term is used in Czech and Slovak psychology to describe the tendency to fit in with a group, even when individual judgments differ.

There are two main forms of konformita: normative conformity and informational konformita. Normative konformita occurs to gain social acceptance and avoid rejection, leading people to conform publicly. Informational konformita arises when individuals assume others’ judgments are more accurate, leading to private belief changes. Conformity can be public (outward changes) or private (internal change in beliefs).

Classic research shows that konformita can be strong under certain conditions. Asch’s line-judgment experiments demonstrated normative konformita, while Deutsch and Gerard proposed a two-process theory distinguishing norm-based social influence and informational social influence. Factors affecting konformita include group size (increasing up to a point), unanimity, the status or expertise of others, cultural context (collectivist versus individualist societies), and task ambiguity.

Konformita has implications across domains such as consumer behavior, organizational dynamics, politics, and online environments. It can promote the adoption of prevailing norms and facilitate social coordination, but excessive konformita may suppress dissent and innovation. Critics note issues with ecological validity and emphasize that individuals also resist or reinterpret group norms.

In summary, konformita is a widespread and context-dependent phenomenon that shapes how groups influence individuals and how cultures maintain social order and collaboration.