Which concept describes when group members believe most others accept a norm they personally reject?

The concept that describes when group members believe that more people accept a norm than actually do, even though they personally reject that norm, is known as pluralistic ignorance. This phenomenon occurs when individuals within a group mistakenly believe that their own thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are different from those of the majority. They may think that most other group members agree with a norm, leading them to conform to what they assume is the majority view, despite their personal disagreement.

Pluralistic ignorance highlights the gap between private beliefs and public behavior. For example, in a classroom setting, a student might feel too shy to ask questions because they believe that everyone else understands the material, even though many of their peers feel just as confused. This scenario illustrates how individuals may maintain silence or conform to a perceived norm, reinforcing a sense of conformity that is not genuinely representative of the group’s actual beliefs or feelings.

Other concepts such as groupthink, social loafing, and cognitive dissonance address different aspects of group dynamics and individual psychology but do not specifically capture the scenario of individuals misjudging the acceptance of a norm by others in the group.