Final answer:
The fallacy of approval refers to the predisposition to seek and value everyone else's approval, typically referred to as the bandwagon fallacy. This fallacy encourages conformity to popular opinion and is exploited in areas such as advertising and politics, without necessarily being based on critical thinking or evidence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fallacy of approval is based on the idea that it is not only desirable but also vital to get the approval of virtually everyone else. This is often referred to as the bandwagon fallacy, where there is pressure to conform to what appears to be the majority opinion or trend. For instance, if most people believe that 7 a.m. classes are too early and advocate for starting classes at least at 8 a.m., there could be a subtle suggestion that others should also endorse this opinion just because it's the popular sentiment. However, this line of thinking does not necessarily mean the majority opinion is the correct or best choice; decisions should be based on critical thinking and evidence rather than on the mere fact that a belief is widely held.
Adherence to group norms due to the belief that the group possesses the right information or competencies also feeds into this fallacy. Additionally, advertisers capitalize on this cognitive bias to persuade the public to purchase products by suggesting that 'everyone' is using them. In politics, a president's power to persuade can be significantly affected by their public approval ratings, which reflects this concept in action.