Have you ever felt pressured to do what everyone else is doing, even if you weren’t sure it was the best choice? This is called conformity, and it’s a big part of how humans behave. There are two main reasons we might follow the crowd: normative social influence and informational social influence.
Normative social influence is all about wanting to fit in and be liked by others.
Picture this: you're at a party. Everyone starts singing a song you don’t like. Instead of standing out, you join in. Not because you enjoy it, but because you want to be accepted by your friends. This need to fit in can sometimes make us ignore what we really like or believe in.
Imagine starting a new job. Everyone is getting coffee from the same café, but you dislike the taste. You might still go there just to connect with your coworkers and avoid being seen as different. This shows how the pressure to fit in can affect our choices, even about small things.
Informational social influence happens when we look to others for help, especially when we’re confused or unsure. When we don’t know what to do, we often think the crowd knows better. This can be helpful sometimes, especially in emergencies when quick decisions are needed.
Imagine you’re in a new city and see a crowd watching a street performer. You might join them, thinking the performance is good because everyone else seems to enjoy it. Here, your decision is influenced by what others are doing, showing that we rely on groups for information.
Both ways of following the crowd show how we balance our own thoughts with what others do. While it can feel good to go along with the group and feel like we belong, it’s also important to stay true to ourselves and our beliefs. Being aware of our own feelings can help us when we’re tempted to just follow along.
In short, whether we want to fit in (normative) or seek guidance (informational), our tendency to follow others highlights how social we are as humans. Understanding when we’re going along with the crowd can help us make choices that reflect who we really are.
Have you ever felt pressured to do what everyone else is doing, even if you weren’t sure it was the best choice? This is called conformity, and it’s a big part of how humans behave. There are two main reasons we might follow the crowd: normative social influence and informational social influence.
Normative social influence is all about wanting to fit in and be liked by others.
Picture this: you're at a party. Everyone starts singing a song you don’t like. Instead of standing out, you join in. Not because you enjoy it, but because you want to be accepted by your friends. This need to fit in can sometimes make us ignore what we really like or believe in.
Imagine starting a new job. Everyone is getting coffee from the same café, but you dislike the taste. You might still go there just to connect with your coworkers and avoid being seen as different. This shows how the pressure to fit in can affect our choices, even about small things.
Informational social influence happens when we look to others for help, especially when we’re confused or unsure. When we don’t know what to do, we often think the crowd knows better. This can be helpful sometimes, especially in emergencies when quick decisions are needed.
Imagine you’re in a new city and see a crowd watching a street performer. You might join them, thinking the performance is good because everyone else seems to enjoy it. Here, your decision is influenced by what others are doing, showing that we rely on groups for information.
Both ways of following the crowd show how we balance our own thoughts with what others do. While it can feel good to go along with the group and feel like we belong, it’s also important to stay true to ourselves and our beliefs. Being aware of our own feelings can help us when we’re tempted to just follow along.
In short, whether we want to fit in (normative) or seek guidance (informational), our tendency to follow others highlights how social we are as humans. Understanding when we’re going along with the crowd can help us make choices that reflect who we really are.