6 Principles of Social 6 Principles of Social Influence:Influence:

1. Norm of Reciprocity1. Norm of Reciprocity

2. Commitment & Consistency2. Commitment & Consistency

3. Social Validation3. Social Validation

4. Liking4. Liking

5. Scarcity5. Scarcity

6. Authority6. Authority

1) Norm of Reciprocity1) Norm of Reciprocity

Pay every debt, as if God wrote the Pay every debt, as if God wrote the bill.bill.

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

1) Norm of Reciprocity1) Norm of Reciprocity

ReciprocityReciprocity

Beware free giftsBeware free gifts Offer small gift, Offer small gift,

then make requestthen make request Take advantage of Take advantage of

“norm of “norm of reciprocity”reciprocity”

Reciprocity:Reciprocity:Door-in-the-face techniqueDoor-in-the-face technique

Begin with a very large request (which Begin with a very large request (which will be refused), then make a smaller will be refused), then make a smaller requestrequest Smaller request is what you want in the first Smaller request is what you want in the first

placeplace

Why? Why? Norm of reciprocityNorm of reciprocity When one person makes a concession, other When one person makes a concession, other

feels obligated to reciprocatefeels obligated to reciprocate

Reciprocity:Reciprocity:Door-in-the-face techniqueDoor-in-the-face technique

Reciprocity:Reciprocity:Door-in-the-face techniqueDoor-in-the-face technique

EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Cialdini (1975)Cialdini (1975)

First (large) request:First (large) request: Counsel delinquent boys, Counsel delinquent boys,

2hrs/wk/2yrs2hrs/wk/2yrs

Second (smaller) Second (smaller) request:request: Take delinquent boys to zoo?Take delinquent boys to zoo?

Experimental groupExperimental group Large then smaller Large then smaller

Control groupControl group Smaller request onlySmaller request only

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent compliance

Smallrequestonly

Largerequestfirst

ReciprocityReciprocityThat’s-not-all techniqueThat’s-not-all technique

ReciprocityReciprocityThat’s-not-all techniqueThat’s-not-all technique

That’s-not-all techniqueThat’s-not-all technique

Begin with high-priced product, Begin with high-priced product, then improve the dealthen improve the dealEXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Burger (1986)Burger (1986)

Bake saleBake sale

Control group: Control group: Cupcake & 2 cookies = $.75Cupcake & 2 cookies = $.75

Experimental group: Experimental group: Cupcake = $.75Cupcake = $.75

Oh, we’ll throw in 2 cookiesOh, we’ll throw in 2 cookies

Results:Results:

Control:Control: 40% purchased40% purchased

Experimental:Experimental: 73% purchased73% purchased

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent purchasing goodies

Both for$.75

Cookiesfree

2)Commitment and 2)Commitment and ConsistencyConsistency

It is easier to resist at the beginning It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.than at the end.

Leonardo Da VinciLeonardo Da Vinci

Foot-in-the-Door

FIRST STEP SECOND STEP

Low-Ball

TACTIC

Commitment and Commitment and ConsistencyConsistency

Gain Target’s Compliance With a Small

Request

Foot-in-the-Door

FIRST STEP SECOND STEPTACTIC

Example: “Would you

sign a petition to help feed

starving children?”

Foot-in-the-Door

Gain Target’s Compliance With a Small

Request

Foot-in-the-Door

FIRST STEP SECOND STEPTACTIC

Would you sign a petition to

help feed starving

children?

Make a Related, Larger Request

“Would you work for 2

weeks in the local soup kitchen?”

Foot-in-the-Door

Commitment and Consistency:Commitment and Consistency:Foot-in-the-DoorFoot-in-the-Door

EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Freedman & Fraser (1966)Freedman & Fraser (1966)

Went door to doorWent door to door First request: Sign First request: Sign

petitionpetition Second request: Huge, Second request: Huge,

ugly sign on lawnugly sign on lawn

Experimental group: Experimental group: small then largesmall then large

Control group: large Control group: large onlyonly

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent compliance

Largerequestonly

Smallrequestfirst

Commitment and Consistency:Commitment and Consistency:Foot-in-the-DoorFoot-in-the-Door

EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Freedman & Fraser (1966)Freedman & Fraser (1966)

Telephoned Telephoned homemakershomemakers First request: Questions First request: Questions

about household about household productsproducts

Second request: Team of Second request: Team of men to inventory house?men to inventory house?

Experimental group: Experimental group: Small then largeSmall then large

Control group: Large Control group: Large request onlyrequest only

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent compliance

Largerequestonly

Smallrequestfirst

Get an Agreement to a

Specific Arrangement

FIRST STEP SECOND STEP

Low-Ball

TACTIC

Get the Customer to

Agree to Buy a New Car for

$15,000

Low-Ball

Get an Agreement to a

Specific Arrangement

FIRST STEP SECOND STEP

Low-Ball

TACTIC

Get Customer to Agree to Buy a New Car for

$15,000

SECOND STEP

Change The Terms of The Arrangement

“Oh, you wanted tires and seats?

Then that’ll be $15,999.”

Low-Ball

Commitment and Consistency:Commitment and Consistency:Low-Ball TechniqueLow-Ball Technique

EXAMPLE: EXAMPLE: Cialdini (1978)Cialdini (1978)

Initial requestInitial request Participate in experiment Participate in experiment

on cognitive processes?on cognitive processes?

Additional hidden costs:Additional hidden costs: Start at 7:00am, will you Start at 7:00am, will you

still come?still come?

Experimental group: Experimental group: Initial agreement + full Initial agreement + full costcost

Control group: Control group: Full cost right up frontFull cost right up front

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percent compliance

Full costsup front

Initialagreementthen fullcosts

3) Social Validation3) Social Validation

Where all think alike, no one thinks Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.very much.

Walter LippmannWalter Lippmann

Social ValidationSocial Validation

Social ValidationSocial Validation

An interpersonal way An interpersonal way of locating & of locating & confirming “correct confirming “correct choices”choices”

People look to similar People look to similar others to decide what others to decide what to doto do

The more people who The more people who perform the behavior, perform the behavior, the more convincingthe more convincing

Most influential Most influential under two conditions: under two conditions:

UncertaintyUncertainty

SimilaritySimilarity

Social ValidationSocial Validation

National Public National Public Radio fund drivesRadio fund drives

““Salting" the tip Salting" the tip jarjar

Amazon.com Amazon.com shows you list of shows you list of books others with books others with similar interests similar interests have purchasedhave purchased

Canned laughterCanned laughter

Social ValidationSocial Validation

Example: Example: Nosanchuk & Lightstone (1974)Nosanchuk & Lightstone (1974)

Is canned laughter effective?Is canned laughter effective?Procedure: Procedure: Ss rated 10 jokes with laugh track and without Ss rated 10 jokes with laugh track and without

laugh tracklaugh track

DV: DV: Private judgments and amount of laughingPrivate judgments and amount of laughing

Results:Results: Laugh tracks make people laugh longer, more Laugh tracks make people laugh longer, more

frequently, and rate material as funnierfrequently, and rate material as funnier Canned laughter most effective for poor jokesCanned laughter most effective for poor jokes

Social Validation and Social Validation and SuicideSuicide

4) Liking4) Liking

The main work of a trial attorney is The main work of a trial attorney is to make a jury like his client.to make a jury like his client.

Clarence DarrowClarence Darrow

Liking: Liking: The Tupperware PartyThe Tupperware Party

Liking:Liking:AttractivenessAttractiveness

AttractivenessAttractiveness Physical beauty engenders Physical beauty engenders

a a halo effecthalo effectto favorable impressions of to favorable impressions of other traits such as talent, other traits such as talent, kindness, and intelligencekindness, and intelligence

Study of the 1974 Study of the 1974 elections in Canada:elections in Canada:

Attractive candidates Attractive candidates received more than 2.5 received more than 2.5 times the votes of times the votes of unattractive candidates.unattractive candidates.

Simulated employment Simulated employment interviewinterview

Good grooming of applicants Good grooming of applicants accounted for more favorable accounted for more favorable decisions than job decisions than job qualificationsqualifications

Good looking people likely Good looking people likely to receive highly favorable to receive highly favorable treatment in the legal treatment in the legal system. system.

Handsome men received Handsome men received lighter sentences lighter sentences

Attractive defendants 2x as Attractive defendants 2x as likely to avoid jail than likely to avoid jail than unattractive peopleunattractive people

Liking:Liking:SimilaritySimilarity

Example: Example: Emswiller, Deaux, and Willits (1971) Emswiller, Deaux, and Willits (1971)

Experimenters donned hippie or strait Experimenters donned hippie or strait attire attire Asked hippie or strait college students Asked hippie or strait college students for a dime to make a phone call. for a dime to make a phone call. ResultsResults When dressed the same:When dressed the same:

Request was granted 2/3 of the timeRequest was granted 2/3 of the time When dressed dissimilarly:When dressed dissimilarly:

They gave the dime less than 50% of the time.They gave the dime less than 50% of the time.

Liking:Liking:FamiliarityFamiliarity

In In electionselections people people often just choose often just choose voters because the voters because the name looks familiar.name looks familiar.Try this: Try this: Get a true and Get a true and

reverse image of reverse image of yourself. yourself.

Show it to yourself Show it to yourself and your friends and your friends

Gauge which picture Gauge which picture you preferyou prefer

Mita, Dermer, & Mita, Dermer, & Knight (1977)Knight (1977) The human face isn’t The human face isn’t

perfectly symmetricalperfectly symmetrical People prefer the way People prefer the way

they look in the mirror, they look in the mirror, but their friends prefer but their friends prefer their actual appearancetheir actual appearance

Liking:Liking:ComplimentsCompliments

Flattery gets you everywhere…Flattery gets you everywhere…

Example: Drachman, deCarufel, & Insko (1978) Example: Drachman, deCarufel, & Insko (1978) Ss (men) receive comments from someone who Ss (men) receive comments from someone who

needed somethingneeded something 3 conditions: positive comments, negative 3 conditions: positive comments, negative

comments, or bothcomments, or both People who gave only positive comments were liked People who gave only positive comments were liked

the bestthe best Even when the Ss knew that the flattery was Even when the Ss knew that the flattery was

motivated to gain something motivated to gain something Even when the flattery untrueEven when the flattery untrue

Liking:Liking:AssociationAssociation

5) Scarcity5) Scarcity

The way to love anything is to The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost.realize that it might be lost.

G.K. ChestertonG.K. Chesterton

ScarcityScarcity

Scarcity principleScarcity principle

Opportunities seem more valuable when they are Opportunities seem more valuable when they are scarcescarce Scarcity increases appeal!Scarcity increases appeal!

Why?Why? Freedom of choice--don’t want choices taken awayFreedom of choice--don’t want choices taken away Scarce= valuable, popularScarce= valuable, popular

**********************************

Consumer Beware!!Consumer Beware!!

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Scarcity Scarcity

ScarcityScarcity

Example: Example: West (1975)West (1975)

Procedures: Procedures: Ss completed a survey, giving a rating of their Ss completed a survey, giving a rating of their

cafeteria food. cafeteria food. 9 days later they randomly received 1 of 3 9 days later they randomly received 1 of 3

communications: communications: (a) elimination- eliminating their cafeteria use for 2 weeks due (a) elimination- eliminating their cafeteria use for 2 weeks due to fireto fire(b) control- eliminating carbonated beverages; (b) control- eliminating carbonated beverages; (c) control- announcing a movie presentation.(c) control- announcing a movie presentation.

DV: New ratings of cafeteria foodDV: New ratings of cafeteria foodResults:Results: Although most rated food low, only the elimination Although most rated food low, only the elimination

condition showed a more positive rating of foodcondition showed a more positive rating of food

Scarcity:Scarcity:Limited TimeLimited Time

Scarcity:Scarcity:Limited SupplyLimited Supply

6) Authority6) Authority

Follow an expert.Follow an expert.

VirgilVirgil

AuthorityAuthority

Authority: Authority: Milgram’s ExperimentMilgram’s Experiment

AuthorityAuthority

Authority:Authority:SymbolsSymbols

SymbolsSymbols

TitlesTitlesExample: Example: Hofling et al. (1966)Hofling et al. (1966)

Nurses were called, Nurses were called, caller claimed to be a caller claimed to be a doctor, instructed doctor, instructed nurse to administer a nurse to administer a drug to a patientdrug to a patient

Nurses should not have Nurses should not have obeyed:obeyed:

1—phone prescriptions not 1—phone prescriptions not allowedallowed2—medication was 2—medication was unauthorized unauthorized 3—prescribed dosage was too 3—prescribed dosage was too highhigh4—nurse didn’t know the 4—nurse didn’t know the "doctor“"doctor“

  Results:Results:95% of the nurses complied95% of the nurses complied

ClothingClothingExample: Example: Brickman (1974)Brickman (1974)

Stopped people on the Stopped people on the street and asked them street and asked them to comply with a small to comply with a small requestrequest

  IV: IV: Dressed either in Dressed either in street clothes or street clothes or dressed as a dressed as a security guardsecurity guard

  Results:Results:Many more people Many more people obeyed the man in obeyed the man in the guard costumethe guard costume