ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2021, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (3): 531-539.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2021.00531

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The effect of conformity tendency on prosocial behaviors

WEI Zhenyu1, DENG Xiangshu1, ZHAO Zhiying2   

  1. 1Research Institute of Social Development, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China;
    2School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven CT 06510, USA
  • Received:2020-03-31 Online:2021-03-15 Published:2021-01-27

Abstract: Prosocial behaviors have a significant impact on social cohesion. Previous behavioral studies found that prosocial behaviors can be influenced by conformity tendency, including altruistic behavior, trusting behavior, fairness, generosity and charity. People tend to imitate others’ behaviors and adopt the deeper goals and motives of group in social context. Previous neuroimaging studies found that prosocial conformity are related to brain regions involved in reward processing, such as ventromedial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Brain areas that were related to error processing also play a critical role in prosocial conformity. Prosocial conformity can be modulated by social value orientation, interpersonal trust and interpersonal sensitivity. Future studies can focus on the stability of prosocial conformity, prosocial conformity in children, individual differences, clinical research and cultural diversity.

Key words: prosocial behavior, conformity, neural basis, individual differences

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