Informational and Normative Influences in Conformity from a Neurocomputational Perspective

Conformity is driven by informational and normative influences. Whereas informational influences serve to acquire adequate representations of reality, normative influences aim at preserving intact social relations. By drawing on recent developments in computational models of decision-making under uncertainty, we propose an account of how informational influences affect conformity behaviour. Under this account, we re-evaluate findings from social influence experiments and point out possible extensions to allow for the integration of normative influences. We review recent neuropsychological experiments to relate this computational account to the neural underpinnings of conformity. We consider two distinct influences that drive conformity behaviour. Whereas informational influences facilitate adaptive and accurate responses, normative influences bias decisions to enhance social acceptance. We explore these influences from a perspective of perceptual and value-based decision-making models and apply these models to classical works on conformity. We argue that an informational account predicts a surprising tendency to conform. Moreover, we detail how normative influences fit into this framework and interact with social influences. Finally, we explore potential neuronal substrates for informational and normative influences based on a consideration of the neurobiological literature, highlighting conceptual shortcomings particularly with regard to a failure to segregate informational and normative influences. We consider two distinct influences that drive conformity behaviour. Whereas informational influences facilitate adaptive and accurate responses, normative influences bias decisions to enhance social acceptance. We explore these influences from a perspective of perceptual and value-based decision-making models and apply these models to classical works on conformity. We argue that an informational account predicts a surprising tendency to conform. Moreover, we detail how normative influences fit into this framework and interact with social influences. Finally, we explore potential neuronal substrates for informational and normative influences based on a consideration of the neurobiological literature, highlighting conceptual shortcomings particularly with regard to a failure to segregate informational and normative influences. decision-makers often receive information from different sources. The integration of these sources is achieved in a Bayes optimal manner if each information source is weighted by its reliability relative to the other sources. individually acquired information for example through trial and error learning. information that is acquired through sampling of the environment with the goal to make adaptive decisions that are optimized for the current context. influence on behavior that is elicited by social expectations or rules. Underlying this influence is for instance an individual's goal to signal belongingness to a group or avoid social punishment. choices are based on the evaluation of sensory information. learning of action outcome contingencies based on interactions with the environment. An update of the expected outcome of an action is achieved by a prediction error that represents the difference between actual and expected outcome. information acquired through observation of actions and their respective outcomes or products of others. choices are based on the subjective value an individual assigns to a particular action.