What is identification?

What is identification?

• A. Public acceptance of majority influence without private belief.
• B. Only public acceptance.
• C. Public and private acceptance of majority influence in order to gain acceptance as you value something in that group that you desire.
• D. A lack of conformity.

Answer: (C)

Identification means you adopt a group’s norms both outwardly and inwardly because you value being part of that group and want to be accepted. You publicly go along with the majority to fit in, and you privately accept those views to some extent since belonging to the group is desirable. This combination of public conformity and private belief sets it apart from mere public compliance (public change without private belief) and from lacking conformity. The best choice captures that both public and private acceptance occur to gain acceptance within the group you value.

Identification means you adopt a group’s norms both outwardly and inwardly because you value being part of that group and want to be accepted. You publicly go along with the majority to fit in, and you privately accept those views to some extent since belonging to the group is desirable. This combination of public conformity and private belief sets it apart from mere public compliance (public change without private belief) and from lacking conformity. The best choice captures that both public and private acceptance occur to gain acceptance within the group you value.