Final answer:
People conform to various groups due to the desire for social acceptance, belief in the group's information, and the tendency to prefer order to chaos. This phenomenon, known as bandwagon fallacy, leads to group cohesion, but it can result in poor critical thinking and unethical actions. Experiments by Asch and considerations of tribal thinking and cognitive biases shed light on this behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reasons for Conformity with Groups
People often conform to organized religion, political groups, gangs, and factions due to the inherent human tendency to align with groups sharing similar values and practices. The desire for social acceptance and the belief that the group is better informed are two main causes of conformity. This is also known as bandwagon fallacy, where individuals may adopt beliefs or behaviors simply because they are widespread. The drive to conform is strong and can be observed through experiments and real-life examples. People prefer order to chaos and seek answers to life's big questions often provided by their cultural institutions like language, religion, and education. This leads to group cohesion but can come at the cost of critical thinking and ethical judgment.
Conformity within a group involves changing one's behavior to match the norms of the group, which can be driven by a desire to be liked or to avoid consequences. Group size and structure play a role in the extent of conformity, with larger groups often exerting more influence on the individual. Asch's studies highlighted how intelligent, well-educated people would conform to untruths with little prompting, pointing to issues with societal values and education systems. Understanding tribal thinking and its dangers is crucial to avoid falling into cognitive biases that hamper critical reflection and decision-making.