When Nikolaos arrives a few minutes late to his psychology class, he finds that everyone has turned their desks to face the back of the room. Though the teacher is not in the room, he assumes that they know something he doesn't and turns his desk to face the back of the room too. Nikolaos is conforming, due to
A)groupthink.
B)deindividuation.
C)informational social influence.
D)social facilitation.
E)the bystander effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nikolaos is conforming due to informational social influence, which occurs when a person assumes that the behavior of the group reflects the correct way to respond in a specific situation, especially when the situation is ambiguous or the person is unsure of how to act. In this case, Nikolaos assumes the other students have a reason for facing their desks to the back, so he follows suit, believing they have information he does not.

When Nikolaos Arrives a Few Minutes Late to His Psychology