Understanding the Dynamics of Online Social Conformity

Social conformity is a widespread social phenomenon, where individuals change their personal opinions and behaviour to agree with an opposing majority's expectations. While conformity has been extensively studied in face-to-face groups, its dynamics in online groups is yet to be understood. While literature notes both positive (e.g., sense of belonging) and negative (e.g., undue pressure) implications of online social conformity, it is unclear how online group settings can be designed accounting for conformity effects to facilitate positive group interactions. Thus, this research has three main contributions. First, I aim to thoroughly investigate the effects of contextual and personal determinants of face-to-face conformity in online settings. Second, I will explore the impact of social presence and gender, which may manifest differently in online settings in comparison to face-to-face groups. I then aim to present a set of empirically validated design guidelines to inform the design of healthy online communities, accounting for both positive and negative implications of social conformity.