PSYC 342 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Social Proof, Blood Donation, Social Comparison Theory
24 Nov 2016
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The principle that people determine what is correct by finding out what others think is correct. If available, people prefer to use objective cues to evaluate: using objective cues would be what humans would like to use to evaluate themselves ideally. If not available, people engage in social comparison. When socially comparing, people prefer to compare to similar others. Car dealers target next-door neighbours of recent customers. Evangelical ministers use ringers: ministers go up to their own people in the crowd, but nobody wants to be the first; when the first person goes up, he/she serves as social proof others subsequently follow. Advertisers provide testimonials and statements of popularity regarding products. Reingen (1982): experiment 1: examined compliance with money donation to a charitable cause. Social proof: people were presented with names of previous donors. Social proof: 43% compliance: experiment 2: examined agreement for blood donation. Social proof: presented with names of previous donors. Subsequent experiment showed longer lists produced more.
