Many of us, if not most, like to see ourselves as independent-minded, willing to stand up for what we believe, not automatically going along with the crowd. But the social need to fit in and be part of the group makes conformity highly likely, even in situations where individuals protest that they are non-conformists.
Research in social psychology reveals again and again that people are much more influenced by the presence of others than they expect. And that influence can be surprisingly negative.