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Do we follow a group to be right, or to fit in?

Someone agrees with a group, but the agreement does not reveal the reason. They might think the group knows something they do not, or they might want its acceptance. Informational and normative influence describe these different pressures, which can overlap in one situation.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • When might apparent agreement hide private doubt?
  • What evidence would help distinguish these motives?

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Psychology

Can an option nobody wants change what people choose?

Choosing between two offers can feel different when a third appears beside them. A decoy is less attractive than one option on the relevant features, but its presence does not reliably change every decision.

5–7 min
Psychology

Can a question change what someone remembers?

A question can ask for a memory while also suggesting what might have happened. Research on eyewitness reports separates what someone originally saw from information introduced afterward, making wording part of the evidence problem.

3–7 min
Do we follow a group to be right, or to fit in? | Speech Topic | speaking.app