Conformity

Social influence, defined as changing one's perceptions, opinions, or behaviors in response to real or imagined pressure from others, is a fundamental aspect of group life. Various forms of social influence have been identified, including compliance (going along with a direct request from others), obedience (following the orders of a legitimate authority figure), and conformity (changing one's perceptions, beliefs, or actions in the direction of a perceived group norm). This entry focuses on conformity, examining some of the definitional and measurement issues that researchers face, the motivations that lead people to conform, the impact of having a partner (social supporter) on resisting group pressure, and the role of individual differences in determining conformity.