Internalization is the process by which people take an outside value, rule or belief and make it their own, so they follow it without being watched or rewarded. Social psychologist Herbert Kelman set it apart in 1958 from two shallower kinds of influence: compliance (going along to gain a reward or avoid a penalty) and identification (adopting a view to belong to a group or resemble a person). Self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci) later described internalization as a spectrum, from rules obeyed under pressure to values fully integrated into the self.
How it works
Where you see it today
Anthropic’s Constitutional AI trains a model to critique and revise its own answers against a written list of principles, instead of relying only on human labels for each harmful output (Bai et al., 2022). It is an attempt to get a model to apply values on its own, not just follow case-by-case corrections.
Researchers showed that Claude 3 Opus, told it was being retrained to answer all queries, sometimes complied in what it believed were training conversations while reasoning that this would protect its existing preferences (Greenblatt et al., 2024). They called it alignment faking: Kelman’s compliance, observed in a machine.
Rules people only comply with tend to lapse when monitoring stops. Self-determination research finds that autonomy-supportive settings, where people understand the reasons, produce more internalized motivation (Ryan and Deci, 2000). That applies to new AI-use policies as much as to safety rules.
Kelman’s distinction still guides how campaigns and managers judge success: a change that depends on surveillance or on a charismatic leader is fragile, while an internalized one persists (Kelman, 1958).
Internalization vs other kinds of influence
How to use it
- Explain the reason behind a rule, not only the rule, and invite questions before it takes effect.
- Check whether a behaviour survives when monitoring or incentives are removed; if not, you have compliance.
- Give people some choice in how they meet a standard, which supports autonomy.
- Make sure people can actually do what is asked; competence makes a value easier to adopt.
- When adopting AI tools, write down the principles behind your usage policy so teams can apply them to new cases.
As AI agents take on more work, the question for both people and models becomes whether rules are understood or only obeyed. The Business Engineer view is that organisations scale trust when principles are internalised, because no monitoring system can cover every case an agent or employee meets.
Read: High Trust vs. Low Trust Organizations →Explore the platform →Related: Intrinsic motivation · Extrinsic motivation · Conformity bias · Social proof · Groupthink
Frequently asked questions
What is internalization in psychology?
It is the process of taking an outside value, rule or belief and making it your own, so you act on it without needing rewards or supervision.
What is the difference between compliance, identification and internalization?
In Kelman's 1958 model, compliance is going along for a reward or to avoid a penalty, identification is adopting a view to belong to a group or resemble someone, and internalization is accepting the value because you agree with it.
How do organisations encourage internalization?
Self-determination research points to supporting autonomy, competence and relatedness: explaining reasons, building skills and creating real connection to the group.
How does internalization relate to AI?
AI safety researchers face a similar problem: a model may comply with training rules without having adopted them, a behaviour one study called alignment faking.
Sources
- Kelman (1958), Compliance, identification, and internalization: three processes of attitude change, Journal of Conflict Resolution
- Ryan & Deci (2000), Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being, American Psychologist
- Bai et al. (2022), Constitutional AI: Harmlessness from AI Feedback
- Greenblatt et al. (2024), Alignment faking in large language models
The full guide
The complete explainer, cleaned up and reformatted for mobile.
Internalization is the process of accepting or adopting beliefs, attitudes, or values of a group or authority as one’s own, so that they act on them without outside pressure. It involves long-term changes in behavior and attitudes, and individuals find personal relevance in the adopted beliefs. Internalization benefits groups by promoting consistency, social cohesion, and conformity, but it may also pose challenges related to individual differences and cognitive dissonance. Examples include adopting cultural norms, religious beliefs, and political ideologies.
Internalization means that individuals come to accept the beliefs or values of the group or culture as their own, rather than following them for a reward or to avoid a penalty.
Internalization leads to enduring and long-lasting changes in an individual's behavior, attitudes, and worldview.
Internalization ensures consistency between an individual's beliefs and actions.
Internalization fosters a sense of unity within the group or culture.
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Understanding the significance of internalization is essential for psychologists, educators, parents, and individuals themselves, as it sheds light on the process of identity formation, moral development, and the adoption of societal values.
Internalization benefits groups by promoting consistency, social cohesion, and conformity, but it may also pose challenges related to individual differences and cognitive dissonance.
Internalization can lead to cognitive dissonance when an individual's internalized beliefs clash with new information or experiences.
Understanding Internalization:
What is Internalization?
Internalization is a psychological process through which individuals adopt and integrate external beliefs, values, norms, or behaviors into their own cognitive and emotional frameworks. It goes beyond mere conformity or compliance, as internalization involves making these external influences a genuine part of one’s identity and self-concept.
Key Elements of Internalization:
- Authentic Integration: Internalization involves the authentic integration of external beliefs or values into one’s self-concept, making them a genuine part of one’s identity.
- Motivation: It often occurs when individuals are motivated by personal identification with or commitment to the external influence.
- Autonomy: Internalization can coexist with autonomy, as individuals may choose to internalize certain beliefs or values that align with their personal convictions.
Why Internalization Matters:
Understanding the significance of internalization is essential for psychologists, educators, parents, and individuals themselves, as it sheds light on the process of identity formation, moral development, and the adoption of societal values.
The Impact of Internalization:
- Identity Formation: Internalization plays a critical role in shaping individuals’ identities and self-concepts by incorporating external values and beliefs.
- Moral Development: It contributes to the development of moral reasoning and ethical decision-making by instilling values and principles.
- Socialization: Internalization is a key mechanism in the socialization process, as it helps individuals navigate societal expectations and norms.
Benefits of Understanding Internalization:
- Effective Education: Educators can leverage internalization to promote meaningful learning and values education.
- Parenting Strategies: Parents can use insights from internalization to instill positive values and behaviors in their children.
Challenges of Understanding Internalization:
- Diversity of Influence: Different external sources can influence individuals, and not all internalization processes are positive or desirable.
- Conflict of Values: Internalization may lead to conflicts when individuals internalize values that contradict each other or societal norms.
Characteristics of Internalization
Intrinsic Motivation:
Internalization means that individuals come to accept the beliefs or values of the group or culture as their own, rather than following them for a reward or to avoid a penalty. They do so because they find personal meaning and relevance in these beliefs.
Long-Term Change:
Internalization leads to enduring and long-lasting changes in an individual’s behavior, attitudes, and worldview. It is not a fleeting or superficial process but rather one that shapes an individual’s identity.
Personal Relevance:
The beliefs or values that are internalized are typically those that align with an individual’s self-concept. They become personally relevant, and individuals see them as part of their identity.
Use Cases of Internalization
Cultural Norms:
Individuals often internalize cultural norms and values, incorporating them into their daily lives and personal identity. This internalization helps maintain cultural traditions and practices.
Religious Beliefs:
People internalize religious beliefs, making them an integral part of their worldview. These beliefs guide their moral principles, behavior, and sense of purpose.
Social Movements:
Participants in social movements internalize the ideologies and goals of the movement. They become dedicated advocates for the cause and are willing to make personal sacrifices for it.
Benefits of Internalization
Consistency:
Internalization ensures consistency between an individual’s beliefs and actions. Since the beliefs have become an integral part of their identity, they are more likely to act in alignment with those beliefs.
Social Cohesion:
Internalization fosters a sense of unity within the group or culture. When individuals share common beliefs and values, it enhances social cohesion and a sense of belonging.
Conformity:
Internalization contributes to conformity with group norms. This conformity is not driven by external pressure but by a genuine acceptance of the group’s values.
Challenges of Internalization
Individual Differences:
Not all individuals internalize beliefs or values to the same extent. Some may resist internalization or have differing degrees of commitment to the group’s norms.
External Influences:
External factors, such as peer pressure or societal expectations, can influence the degree to which internalization occurs. These external influences may sometimes conflict with an individual’s internalized beliefs.
Cognitive Dissonance:
Internalization can lead to cognitive dissonance when an individual’s internalized beliefs clash with new information or experiences. Resolving this dissonance can be challenging.
Real-World Examples of Internalization
Peer Pressure:
Going along with peers only to be accepted is compliance or identification in Kelman’s terms. It becomes internalization when the person comes to agree with the behavior or belief itself.
Political Ideologies:
People internalize political ideologies and align their views with a particular political party or movement. These ideologies become part of their political identity.
Organizational Values:
In a workplace, employees may internalize the values and mission of their organization. These values guide their behavior, decision-making, and dedication to the organization’s goals.
Internalization in Action:
To understand internalization better, let’s explore how it functions in various contexts and what it reveals about the intricate dynamics of personal identity, moral development, and societal influence.
Education and Learning:
- Scenario: A teacher uses student-centered methods to encourage internalization of knowledge rather than rote memorization.
- Internalization in Action:
- Meaningful Learning: Students internalize the subject matter when they are actively engaged and find personal relevance in what they learn.
- Long-term Retention: Internalized knowledge is often retained for a more extended period compared to memorized information.
Moral Development:
- Scenario: Parents instill the value of honesty in their children by modeling and discussing its importance.
- Internalization in Action:
- Personal Values: When children internalize the value of honesty, it becomes a part of their moral identity, guiding their behavior even when not supervised.
- Moral Autonomy: Internalization fosters moral autonomy, as individuals make ethical choices based on their internalized values.
Cultural and Societal Values:
- Scenario: An individual immigrates to a new country and gradually internalizes the values and customs of their adopted culture.
- Internalization in Action:
- Cultural Adaptation: Internalizing the values and customs of the new culture helps the individual adapt and integrate into their adopted society.
- Cultural Identity: Balancing the internalization of both native and adopted cultural values can lead to a unique cultural identity.
Key Highlights
- Internalization is the process of adopting beliefs, attitudes, or values of a group or authority as one’s own, so that they act on them without outside pressure.
- It involves long-term changes in behavior and attitudes, and individuals find personal relevance in the adopted beliefs.
- Internalization benefits groups by promoting consistency, social cohesion, and conformity, but it may also pose challenges related to individual differences and cognitive dissonance.
- Characteristics of internalization include intrinsic motivation, long-term change, and personal relevance.
- Use cases of internalization include adopting cultural norms, religious beliefs, and political ideologies.
- Internalization leads to consistency between beliefs and actions, fosters a sense of social cohesion within the group, and contributes to conformity with group norms.
- Challenges of internalization include individual differences in the extent of adoption, the influence of external factors, and the potential for cognitive dissonance when conflicting beliefs arise.
- Examples of internalization encompass situations such as individuals internalizing peer pressure to fit in, adopting specific political ideologies, and aligning with organizational values at work.
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