What is meant by compliance in social influence?

Compliance in the context of social influence refers to changing one's behavior in response to a direct request or in order to gain approval or avoid negative consequences, such as punishment. It involves a level of outward conformity, where an individual may act in accordance with the expectations or demands of others even if they do not personally agree with the behavior or request.

For example, a person might participate in a group activity or comply with a request from a peer not because they genuinely believe in it, but to fit in or to avoid social ostracism. This is a key distinction because the motivation behind compliance is often about social pressure rather than internal agreement or belief.

In contrast, agreeing with a group's ideology publicly implies a level of personal endorsement of that ideology rather than mere compliance. Adopting group norms without private agreement highlights a more complex form of compliance where individuals may not agree internally but still follow the group’s behavior, which can be related but does not specifically focus on the aspect of motivation to gain approval or avoid punishment. Lastly, changing behavior due to a deeply held belief indicates a more profound internalization of beliefs and values, which is different from compliance. In essence, compliance specifically targets the behavior change driven by the social context rather than personal conviction.