SOCIAL PROOF
Social proof, also known as informational
social influence, is a psychological phenomenon
where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct
behaviour for a given situation. This effect is prominent in ambiguous social
situations where people are unable to determine the appropriate mode of behaviour,
and is driven by the assumption that surrounding people possess more knowledge
about the situation.
The effects of social influence can be
seen in the tendency of large groups to conform to choices which may be either
correct or mistaken, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as herd behaviour.
Although social proof reflects a rational motive to take into account the
information possessed by others, formal analysis shows that it can cause people
to converge too quickly upon a single choice, so that decisions of even large
groups of individuals may be grounded in very little information (see information cascades).
Social proof is a type of conformity. When a person is in a
situation where they are unsure of the correct way to behave, they will often
look to others for cues concerning the correct behaviour. When "we conform
because we believe that other's interpretation of an ambiguous situation is
more accurate than ours and will help us choose an appropriate course of
action," it is informational social influence. This is contrasted with normative social influence wherein a
person conforms to be liked or accepted by others.
Social proof often leads not just to
public compliance (conforming to the behaviour
of others publicly without necessarily believing it is correct) but private
acceptance (conforming out of a genuine belief that others are correct). Social
proof is more powerful when being accurate is more important and when others
are perceived as especially knowledgeable.
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