What term refers to the behavior of aligning one’s actions with the majority in a group?

The behavior of aligning one’s actions with the majority in a group is best described as conformity. Conformity refers to the social influence that leads individuals to change their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in order to match those of a larger group. It encompasses both the desire to fit in and the tendency to adopt the beliefs or behaviors of others, especially when faced with social pressure.

When individuals conform, they often do so because they seek acceptance or want to avoid conflict, which demonstrates the power of group dynamics in shaping individual behavior. This phenomenon is commonly explored in social psychology, where experiments have shown how even well-established beliefs can change in the presence of a majority viewpoint.

The other terms, while related to social influence, do not capture this specific behavior as clearly. Normalization refers to the process of making something standard or typical, compliance implies acquiescence often in response to direct requests or authority, and alignment suggests agreement but may not fully encompass the behavioral changes that occur due to group influence. Thus, conformity is the clear choice for describing the alignment of actions with the majority.