How is conformity best defined?

Conformity is best understood as the change of individual behaviors or attitudes to align with a group. This definition captures the essence of the social influence process where individuals may adjust their actions, beliefs, or feelings to fit in with a larger group. This adjustment can occur either directly, through explicit group pressure, or indirectly, through the implicit understanding of group norms and expectations.

In social psychology, conformity is often observed in situations where individuals feel the need to belong or when they are uncertain about the correct behavior in a given context. This is reflected in dynamics like peer pressure, where individuals may change their behavior to match that of their peers to avoid social sanction or to gain acceptance.

The other definitions offered do not encapsulate the full scope of conformity. The adjustment of personal beliefs to match the majority may hint at some aspects of conformity but does not fully capture the broader behavioral changes that can occur. The process of influencing others' attitudes typically relates more to persuasion rather than personal conformity, which is more about alignment with the group rather than actively changing others. Lastly, maintaining personal opinions in a group directly opposes the idea of conformity, as it emphasizes resistance to social influence instead of adjustment to it.