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There are few people who live solitary lives

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like lighthouse keepers on remote islands or religious hermits in mountain caves.

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Most people spend their lives surrounded by others at work, school, or home.

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One of the most important principles in psychology is the power of social influence

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the behavior of other people affects our behavior.

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Sometimes we react with disgust at what someone else is doing

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and make a deliberate effort to avoid imitating that behavior.

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But most often the opposite is true.

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We feel pressure to make our actions match those of the people around us.

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This is called conformity, adjusting our thinking or behavior to coincide with a group standard.

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Clearly such influence can be an important force for social stability.

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However, conformity can also have negative consequences.

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For example, it can lead people to violate their own moral principles in order to go along with the group.