Final answer:
When students on a campus appear to dress alike, this demonstrates conformity, the adaptation of behavior to fit group norms. Conformity occurs due to the desire for social acceptance or belief in the group's information accuracy. It can lead individuals to follow others even against their own judgment.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a boy on a campus tour asks his older brother why all the students seem to be dressed alike, his brother should explain that this is an example of conformity. Conformity is the behavior whereby individuals adjust their attitudes, beliefs, and actions to align with the norms or standards of a group. This behavioral adaptation often comes from the desire to be accepted by the group or a belief that the group possesses more accurate information.
In a school setting, students often dress similarly because they are influenced by informal social norms that dictate what is considered fashionable or appropriate within that peer environment. This could be a reflection of wanting to fit in or to avoid standing out in a way that could attract negative attention. Students may follow these norms even if they differ from their personal preferences or from the expectations set by their families.
Conformity can also have more profound implications. Renowned psychologist Solomon Asch's experiments in the 1950s showed that people could be swayed to agree with incorrect answers if they perceived that the majority supported those answers. His findings pointed to the powerful influence of social pressures and raised concerns about how education and society might encourage individuals to subsume their judgment to group norms.