During a team meeting, a manager insists on a particular approach to a project, despite several team members expressing concerns about its feasibility. As the meeting progresses, the team starts agreeing with the manager's view, even though they privately disagree. Which principle of conformity and authority best explains the team's behavior in this scenario?

The situation you described illustrates the principle of conformity, where individuals change their opinions or behaviors to align with a group or authority figure. In this case, the manager holds a position of power, and the team members may feel pressured to agree with the manager's approach to avoid conflict or disapproval. This phenomenon is often driven by the desire to fit in or to be accepted by the group, leading to a situation where private doubts are set aside in favor of public agreement. For example, if a student disagrees with a teacher's method but remains silent during class discussions, they may be conforming to the authority of the teacher while suppressing their true feelings. Overall, this reflects how authority and group dynamics can influence individual opinions and lead to a lack of open communication.