Here is why family and friends will hate on you and try to get you to go back to what yâall used to do when you are trying to become a player and change your life It is a widely supported biological and psychological fact that human beings have a strong tendency to conform to group norms for survival and reproductive advantage. This behavior is rooted in an evolutionary drive to acquire valuable information, maintain social cohesion, and avoid the dangers of social exclusion. Evolutionary Advantages of Conformity ⢠Information Gathering (Informational Conformity): Humans depend heavily on culturally transmitted information for survival. In uncertain situations, copying the behavior of the majority is an effective and adaptive learning strategy because it is often safer to assume the group knows the locally adaptive behavior. ⢠Group Cohesion and Safety (Normative Conformity): Belonging to a group was historically vital for protection from predators and rival groups, as well as for cooperative hunting and resource sharing. Behaving similarly to the group fosters a sense of belonging, trust, and social harmony, reducing the risk of conflict and ostracism. ⢠Avoiding Risk: Choosing the most common strategy within a group is a safer option that minimizes individual risk, as going against the group could lead to physical danger or social punishment, such as rejection or isolation. Biological Mechanisms for Enforcing Conformity Humans not only conform themselves, but also actively enforce conformity in others to maintain group stability. This is evident in: ⢠Emotional Responses: Humans have evolved strong emotional responses to violations of social norms, such as guilt and shame, which serve as internal mechanisms for encouraging compliance. ⢠Social Sanctions: Established group members use various tactics, including praise, criticism, and punishment, to ensure newcomers or deviants adhere to group norms. Ostracism, a powerful form of social punishment, is deeply painful and aversive for the individual, further reinforcing the drive to conform.