normative social influence
influence resulting from a person’s desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval
Normative social influence is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the tendency of individuals to conform to the norms and values of a group in order to gain social acceptance and avoid rejection or disapproval. Essentially, normative social influence occurs when people change their behavior or beliefs in response to the pressure to conform to the expectations of others.
One example of normative social influence can be seen in the conformity experiments conducted by social psychologist Solomon Asch in the 1950s. In these experiments, participants were asked to provide their judgments about the length of a line depicted on a card. However, on some trials, the participants were surrounded by confederates who intentionally gave incorrect judgments. In these situations, many participants conformed to the erroneous judgments of the group, even though they knew the answers were wrong.
Another example of normative social influence can be observed in peer pressure among adolescents. Adolescents often feel strong pressures to conform to the norms of their peer group in various domains, such as clothing, music, and behavior. They may engage in activities that they would not otherwise do in order to fit in with their peers and avoid rejection.
Overall, normative social influence is a powerful force that can shape people’s attitudes and behaviors and influence their decisions. Being aware of this phenomenon can help individuals make more informed and independent choices, rather than simply following the group.
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