There are few people who live solitary lives
like lighthouse keepers on remote islands or religious hermits in mountain caves.
Most people spend their lives surrounded by others at work, school, or home.
One of the most important principles in psychology is the power of social influence
the behavior of other people affects our behavior.
Sometimes we react with disgust at what someone else is doing
and make a deliberate effort to avoid imitating that behavior.
But most often the opposite is true.
We feel pressure to make our actions match those of the people around us.
This is called conformity, adjusting our thinking or behavior to coincide with a group standard.
Clearly such influence can be an important force for social stability.
However, conformity can also have negative consequences.
For example, it can lead people to violate their own moral principles in order to go along with the group.