Final answer:
Normative influence, according to Deutsch and Gerard, refers to social conformity due to a desire for approval and to fit in with a group. The Asch conformity experiments demonstrated this type of influence, as participants conformed to fit in, not because the group provided the correct information but to avoid ridicule.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Deutsch and Gerard (1955), normative influence refers to influence based on social norms and the desire for approval. In their study on social influences upon individual judgment, they distinguish between normative social influence and informational social influence.
In the context of the Asch conformity experiments, the participants conformed due to normative reasons; since the line judgment task was unambiguous, they did not need to rely on the group for information. Instead, they complied to fit in and avoid ridicule. Thus, the type of influence operating in the Asch studies was normative social influence.