What term describes the act of conforming to a request or demand?

The term that describes the act of conforming to a request or demand is compliance. Compliance involves yielding to a direct request from another individual or group, whether that request comes from a person of authority or peers. This behavior is often understood within the context of social influence, where individuals adjust their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors in response to the explicit demands or requests of others.

In social psychology, compliance can manifest in various ways, such as agreeing to participate in a survey, following rules set by a group, or adhering to social norms that dictate certain behaviors. Factors such as the perceived legitimacy of the requester, the urgency of the request, and the individual's desire to maintain social harmony can significantly influence compliance.

The other terms, while related to social behavior, describe different concepts. Superordinate goals refer to shared goals that necessitate cooperation among individuals or groups, thus promoting collaboration rather than compliance. Mirror-image perceptions involve mutual views held by conflicting parties, often leading to stereotypes and misunderstandings rather than direct conformity. A social trap describes a situation where individuals or groups act in their own self-interest to the detriment of a collective well-being, which is a different dynamic compared to compliance.