Behavioral and Biological Bases of Herding and Conformity

Abstract

Humans are inherently complex creatures, and this issue became even more complicated when they decided to construct social relationships. Research into human behavior is an interdisciplinary and multifaceted endeavor studied by various disciplines, such as psychology, economics, sociology, anthropology, and neurosciences. Today, with the cooperation of researchers in different fields, it is possible to link the cellular dynamic of neurons to brain function and human behavior. Cognitive science and neurosciences, along with other disciplines, can enrich our knowledge about mechanisms of social influence, which may assist policymakers in influencing public behaviors toward creating a better society. This review aims to describe previous research on social influence’s behavioral, cognitive, and neural basis and provide more understanding of human behavior in society. I review and evaluate the relevant literature from multiple databases of peer-reviewed journals, books, and conferences and hand-searching reference lists of relevant studies that consider conformity from psychological, economic, neurobiological, and neurochemical aspects. This paper has been divided into four parts. First, I start by defining and describing two kinds of social influences. The second section focuses on psychological and economic evidence of social influence. It will then explore the neurobiological and neurochemical approaches to studying social influence. Finally, the conclusion summarizes and highlights three points I believe social neuroscience as an interdisciplinary and vibrant field should consider for future developments.