Conformity vs. Groupthink — What's the Difference?

Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms, politics or being like-minded. Norms are implicit, specific rules, shared by a group of individuals, that guide their interactions with others.

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Cohesiveness, or the desire for cohesiveness, in a group may produce a tendency among its members to agree at all costs.

Similarity in form or character; agreement

The act or practice of reasoning or decision-making by a group, especially when characterized by uncritical acceptance or conformity to prevailing points of view.

Action or behavior in correspondence with socially accepted standards, conventions, rules, or laws

A process of reasoning or decision-making by a group, especially one characterized by uncritical acceptance of or conformity to a perceived majority view.

The relationship between rock or sediment strata that were deposited adjacently or vertically in sequence without any interruption due to erosion, tilting, folding, or similar natural processes.

Decision making by a group (especially in a manner that discourages creativity or individual responsibility)

A surface exhibiting such a relationship between older rock strata and younger rock strata.

The state of things being similar or identical.

A point of resemblance; a similarity.

The state of being conforming, of complying with a set of rules, with a norm or standard.

The ideology of adhering to one standard or social uniformity.

Correspondence in form, manner, or character; resemblance; agreement; congruity; - followed by to, with, or between.

Compliance with the usages of the Established Church.

Correspondence in form or appearance

Acting according to certain accepted standards

Orthodoxy in thoughts and belief

Concurrence of opinion;

Hardened conventionality