In social psychology, which concept best explains why teens often give in to negative peer pressure because they want to be accepted and may feel awkward if they do not conform?

• A. Normative social influence
• B. Cognitive dissonance
• C. Social facilitation
• D. Informational social influence

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms in the problem. The question asks about why teens conform to negative peer pressure due to a desire for acceptance and fear of awkwardness.
2. Step 2: Define 'Normative social influence' as the influence to conform to the expectations of others to gain social approval or avoid social rejection.
3. Step 3: Recognize that 'Cognitive dissonance' refers to the mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or behaviors, which is different from conforming to peer pressure for acceptance.
4. Step 4: Understand that 'Social facilitation' involves improved performance on tasks in the presence of others, which is unrelated to peer pressure or conformity.
5. Step 5: Know that 'Informational social influence' occurs when people conform because they believe others have accurate information, which differs from conforming to be accepted socially.