My girlfriend is doing research on how we as humans tend to self-sensor our thoughts and opinions(specialy in a polarized opinion climate, i.e., post 9/11, cults and religions) when we belong to a group and our tendency to conform to the group out of fear of ostracism... does it sound familiar? yes that happens to any member of any cult who goes or attempts to go against the accepted norm by the group...
We are social beens, if not censoring threatens our social relationships we censor ourselves out of fear of being ostracized.
So what are your opinions on the following:
1) Our social need to conform
2) Our social need for belonging
3) The Durkheimian concept on moral punishment
4) Why do we control ourselves when we are the dissenter in the group?
Please cite your scholarly sources that back up your position on these issues if you have any.