Final answer:
Peer pressure is the stress to conform to group expectations, often leading to changes in behavior to match group norms. It is a dynamic that can significantly impact decision-making and group cohesion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stress an individual feels to behave in accordance with group expectations is known as peer pressure. Peer pressure is a form of conformity, which is the change in a person's behavior to go along with the group, even if they do not agree with the group. This pressure can lead to changes in attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to match the norms of the group, sometimes even in the face of inaccurate information. It is propelled by the human desire to fit in and be accepted by peers and can result in varied outcomes ranging from cooperative behavior to groupthink and poor decision-making processes when the desire for group cohesion overrides critical thinking.
Heavy reliance on group consensus and the potential for unanimous agreement within a group can exacerbate peer pressure. According to Solomon Asch's experiments on conformity, most people will conform to group pressure at least once when placed in a situation with unanimous group opinion, even if it means giving the wrong answer.
Peer pressure can also influence collective action problems within groups, as it is stronger in smaller groups where individual behavior is easy to monitor, potentially reducing issues such as free-riding.