conformity

Conformity is the act of 'blending in with the crowd' or emulating the actions of another individual, group, or belief system. Conformity can be linked to a fear of rejection or the presence of apathy in a person. For instance, in a school-system, different social sects will conform to a certain style of clothing or behavior in order to fit in with a certain group. Conformity is also a part of conversation. In our daily lives, we will consistently conform to the opinions and ideas of other people. Conforming to the idea of another doesn't necessarily mean agreeing with something they say that you don't believe in, but it can be, and this is where the negative side of conformity comes from. In conversational conformity, one can sit back and watch while someone they like/befriended is being attacked or even join in. This example of negative conformity is often found in schools and in the workplace. The desire for acceptance drives people to offer negative information about another person in order to fuel their conversational counterpart's drive for drama.