Final answer:
Following orders is known as obedience in social psychology, distinct from conformity which is about group norms. Stanley Milgram's Experiment highlighted the lengths people would go in obeying authority, which can have ethical implications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Following orders is referred to as obedience by social psychologists. This is a form of social influence where an individual's behavior changes to comply with a demand by an authority figure. The classic Stanley Milgram's Experiment demonstrated this phenomenon starkly, showing how far people would go in obeying orders from an authority figure. In his experiment, participants were willing to deliver what they believed were painful electric shocks to another person, under the instructions of an authority figure.
Obedience is different from conformity, which is changing your behavior to go along with the group even if you do not agree with the group. One common reason for obedience is the anticipation of aversive consequences for not complying with the authority's demands. Both concepts play a significant role in group dynamics and can lead to ethically and morally suspect acts.