What is the motive behind normative social influence?

Question

When you are the one who deviates from the social norms, it is easy to see and feel the pressure of the group compelling you to re-conform to to the norms.
What I want to know is, why do the people of the group pressure each individual to conform?
I and everyone has been on both sides of the fence of this matter. When I am the one who does something out of the ordinary or deviant, I can feel the pressure to conform.
When I observe someone else doing something that stands out, I see other people subtly pressuring the deviant person to conform and I become part of the pressuring group. I don't even know what my own motive is.
Why is a group bothered by someone who rebels against norms? What drives the group to get the deviant to conform?

I am guessing that it has something to do with the fact that rebellion is punished, so when other people see someone getting away with deviant behavior, they get jealous b/c they want to be able to get away with the same thing. I don't know though.

Answer 1

I can only guess just as you did....

I suspect that part of the reason we like conformity is that we understand it better and we can more easily trust the individuals around us to behave in predictable ways. Eliminating the possibility of unwanted surprises in our lives allows for a more peaceful and stable existence.

There are probably a host of other good explanations that are just as plausible as mine.... let's read on and we'll all learn together.

Great question. A star for you.

[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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Answer 2

any GAP commercial