What is normative conformity?

Normative conformity refers to the tendency of individuals to adjust their behavior, beliefs, or attitudes to align with the group in order to meet social expectations and gain acceptance. This phenomenon often occurs in social situations where individuals want to be liked or to avoid rejection. It underscores the importance of social norms in influencing individual behavior.

In contexts where normative conformity is at play, a person may agree with the majority viewpoint or participate in group activities even if they privately disagree, simply to fit in. This is distinct from a desire to be correct or to seek reliable information from the group, as normative conformity is motivated by social acceptance rather than a belief in the accuracy of the group's stance.

Other options address different social influences: one highlights information-seeking behavior, another focuses on unconscious mimicry, and the last involves the pressure exerted by authority figures, which are not representative of normative conformity itself.