Final answer:
Kathy's behavior, where she follows her college group unconditionally, exemplifies conformity, which is changing behavior to align with group norms based on the belief in the group's competence. Option a) is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the scenario where Kathy is a member of the VNoItAll group in college and follows the group unconditionally because she wants to be right and believes the others may have knowledge she does not, Kathy's behavior best exemplifies conformity. Conformity is defined as the action of changing one's behavior to match the norms or behaviors of a group, particularly when this change is influenced by the belief that the group is competent and has correct information. This often occurs because individuals either seek approval from their peers (normative influence) or believe in the group's better judgment (informational influence).
Asch's study on conformity highlighted how individuals, including intelligent and well-educated ones, can conform to group norms with minimal persuasion, even when those norms are incorrect. Such behavior has real-life implications, leading people to engage in acts that may be ethically and morally suspect. Kathy likely falls into the category where she values the group's knowledge and wants to maintain a sense of belonging, thus she conforms.