Sorry Shakespeare.   Now get me to a soapbox.

Does anyone think they aren’t influenced by what other people do?   What else explains 80’s hairstyles?

Of course you’re influenced by others.  Equally inarguable is the direction of influence (I copy what those people do, I do the opposite) and degree (no influence, mild, moderate, heavy) differ based on situation and context.

Two behavioral science wannabe’s meet a fundraiser in a bar.  One’s adamant social proof can help the fundraiser raise more money (e.g. other people gave this amount) while the other wannabe is equally adamant social proof’s a bust.  There’s no punchline here, they’re both equally wrong.  Bartender, get me another round.

The enterprising fundraiser will find a real behavioral scientist and start grilling them with these questions.

• Who’s the group being referenced?
• What’s the social distance between the reference group and the recipient of the message?
• What’s the personality of the recipient and how should this influence the message framing?
• What’s their personal view on the issue we’re advocating?
• Is the social proof message framed as injunctive normative (you should do this because other people will see your behavior as good) or descriptive (most other people did this)?

It’s complicated.  It’s nuanced.  It’s answerable.  And it’s worth doing.

What’s the alternative?  Ignoring the impact of social influence?

Theory, smeary.  Nuance, smuance.  Can you give us a cheat sheet?  Ok, but only because you laughed at the 80’s hairstyle joke.

• If the audience you’re trying to get to support X aren’t already supportive of X then telling them that other people do it or that they’ll be judged poorly by those other people, or that those other people would want them to do it is mostly a waste of time.
• If whatever you’re asking the person to do is perceived as easy (e.g. low hassle, not time consuming, no risk assumed) then social proof is unnecessary and maybe even counter-productive.
• If the reference group you’re using is not someone the person is likely to know (e.g. other donors, experts, celebrity) then the message should be injunctive – i.e. the reference group  thinks you should do X.
• If the reference group or person is someone the donor is likely to know then it doesn’t matter if you use an injunctive message or a ‘softer’, descriptive one – e.g. most of your peers did X.
• If you are communicating to males, use an injunctive message frame.  Injunctive or descriptive framing can work equally with females.

Kevin