Social Proof

Question 1

The goal of accuracy

Answer 1

We are all motivated to be accurate

Social proof is one source of information we can use to try to be accurate

Question 2

Informational vs. normative social influence

Answer 2

Distinction

Informational social influence leads to private acceptance as well as public conformity

Question 3

Conditions that enhance social proof

Answer 3

Ambiguity (unsureness) (unfamiliarity)
Similar others
When we need to act fast (crisis situations)

Question 4

Use of social proof by marketers

Answer 4

Testimonials

Similar others in advertising

Question 5

How do we know that people use social proof to be accurate?

Answer 5

Social contagion and false memories
• Participants recalled scenes in front of confederate
• Confederate falsely recalled some items
• Participants warned about possibility for social influence

Results?

Question 6

Conformity prime experiment

Epley & Gilovich, 1999

Answer 6

Participants took part in a study on “psycholinguistics”
Scrambled sentence task - Contained words related to conformity or neutral words
Asked participants “how interesting was this experiment?” in the presence of 3 confederates who expressed very positive views
Results?

Question 7

Some consequences of social proof

Answer 7

Werther effect “Suicide”
Mass psychogenic illness
Copycat crimes

Question 8

Werther effect

Answer 8

(based on a book where the main character commits suicide)
When a suicide is published, there is an increase in suicides
Can spread through a school, community, etc.
Often committed in a similar way
The more similar the person in the publicized suicide is to the people exposed to the information about it, the more likely the age group or demographic is to commit suicide

Question 9

Mass psychogenic illness

Answer 9

“Toxic bus” case

Question 10

Canned laughter is used because…

Answer 10

It provides the audience with social proof

Question 11

Social proof

Answer 11

We view a behavior as correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others preforming it.
The greater a number of people who find any idea correct the more given individuals will perceived the idea to be correct

Question 12

Ways the people use social proof

Answer 12

Salt a tip jar at the beginning of shift
Salt collection baskets
Advertisers saying “fastest growing” or “largest selling”
Listing contributors to charities
Extinguishing phobias, Bandura, boy watching another boy playing with a dog
Helping preschool withdrawn behavior through a video of others.
End of the world cults
Use normal people in adds
Testimonials

Question 13

In absence of physical proof people will turn to

Answer 13

Social proof

Question 14

Pluralistic ignorance

Answer 14

When everyone is looking to see what everyone else is doing.
Bystanders failing to react – when several potential helpers are present then the personal responsibility of each is reduced.
Greatest among strangers

Question 15

Staged emergency study

Answer 15

Either few bystanders or many saw

• An epileptic seizure
• Smoke coming from under a door

Question 16

Three reasons why Pluralistic ignorance (the bystander effect) works better on city dwellers

Answer 16

1. Cities are more clamorous, distracting, rapidly changing places where it is difficult to be certain of the nature of events and encounters.
2. Urban environments are more populous; consequently people are more likely to be with others when witnessing potential emergencies
3. City dwellers know much smaller percentage of fellow residences therefore city dwellers are more likely to find themselves in a group of strangers.

Question 17

Defence of Pluralistic ignorance (the bystander effect)

Answer 17

Single someone out,
make it clear that it is an emergency,
reduce the uncertainties of those around you by being precise about you need,

Question 18

Defence Against Social Proof

Answer 18

Sensitive to situations when social proof is likely to be automatic and inaccurate.
Beware of “consumers from mars”

Question 19

Why did the doomsday cult push for new members only after their prediction failed?

Answer 19

They felt in the absence of physical proof that social proof was needed.

Question 20

What two factors maximize the influence of social proof?

Answer 20

Ambiguity (unsureness) (unfamiliarity)
Similar others

Possible third:
When we need to act fast (crisis situations)

Question 21

How did those two factors come in to play in Jonestown?

Answer 21

Movie the group to Guyana south America in a jungle in a hostel place. This increased the ambiguity of everyday life and made the only similar others each other.

Question 22

How would you advise heart patients to get public help in an emergency?

Answer 22

Single someone out,
make it clear that it is an emergency by using words like help, emergency, 911,
reduce the uncertainties of those around you by being precise about you need, “I have a heart condition and you need to call 911 and stay with me until they get here.”

Question 23

How would you create an add to reduce teen suicide instead of increase it? Who would you interview on camera? Would they be troubled teens? What would you ask them?

Answer 23

Don’t show a suicide or the aftermath. Don’t make it sound common. Make the add about getting help for feeling suicidal feeling and not about suicide. Interview people who choose not to commit suicide, and got help. They should be similar to the target demographic. I would ask them questions that were relatable, I would also ask if they condone suicide.

Question 24

Do people conform to social proof information automatically?

Answer 24

Often but not always

Question 25

Copycat crimes

Answer 25

Product tampering

School shootings