社会认同

People are more likely to do something when they see others doing the same thing. For example, if there’s a long line at the local donut shop, an individual feels a conviction to join the line, even if they don’t really care for long lines.   

This principle is known as social proof—a phenomenon wherein people copy the actions of others to take part in a particular behavior.

In this case, the person was more susceptible to social proof because he wasn’t quite sure why there was a line but he could relate to the group—they were all knowledgeable students, tired of studying for finals. If they could all wait, it must be the right thing to do.

This form of informational social influence derives from the social forces of comparison and conformity. As a result, the donut shop gains even more customers!