Social influence

Theory of Mind

is the ability to recognize and interpret other thoughts beliefs and emotions which is essential for predicating how others might react or behave in social situations. It allows individuals to understand that others have perspectives different from their own.

groups

are composed of two or more people who interact and depend on each other in some way

in-group

person identifies as a member

outgroup

group with which person does not identify

Primary groups

frequent contact, direct contact, strong social ties, highest influence

Secondary group

less frequent contact, not strong influence, social clubs

formal groups

set of tules, accepted values, codes of conduct, formally become a member

informal groups

no membership, no application

aspirational group

consumer desires to become a member

dissociate group

consumer does not want to belong

Reference group

an actual or imaginary individual/ group conceived of having significant relevance upon individuals evaluations, aspirations or behaviour

aspirational RG

the group we admire and desire to be like

Associative RG

group to which we currently belong

Dissociative RG

Campaigns work by differentiating a brand from groups consumer want to avoid or distance themselves

informational social influence

modelling behaviours on others as people perceive other peoples behaviour as evidence of the correct way to act, the influence of other peole that leads us to conform because we see them as a source of information to guide our behaviour

Normative social influence

conforming to satisfy the expectations of others and/ or to be accepted by the group. To be liked and accepted

Autokinetic study

a psychological experiment demonstrating how individuals' judgments can be influenced by group norms, involving the perception of light movement in dark conditions.

public compliance

conforming to other peoples behaviour publicly without necessarily believing what they are doing or saying

Private acceptance

conforming to other peoples behaviour out of genuine belief that what they are doing or saying is right

The Milgram experiment

a study on obedience that revealed how individuals would follow orders from an authority figure even to the point of inflicting harm on others, highlighting the power of situational influences on behavior.

The bystander effect

is a social psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help a victim when other people are present, due to the diffusion of responsibility.

Role of ratings and reviews

refers to how consumer evaluations and feedback on products or services can significantly impact purchasing decisions and overall perceptions of a brand or business.

Asch’s line judgment studies

group conformity, demonstrated how individuals conform to group pressure, even when the group provides incorrect answers.

Larger group

can create a strong perception of social expectation

group is uniform

individuals may feel more compelled to align with the group to gain acceptance and avoid rejection

group is important

individuals give higher significance to following other people's opinions and behaviours rather than their own beliefs.

social norms

informal socially shared and relatively stable guides of behaviour or attitude which are driven by social sanction and rewards

descriptive norm

what most people do, other know better, others behave effectively

injunctive norm

what one should do, what others expect and request, can arouse resistance

active social influence

a direct interaction between a customer and another person

Passive social influence

an indirect impact on a customer from the presence of others or cues in the environment that remind them of others

reciprocity

people don’t like to feel that we owe other people and feel obligated to return favours with favours

door in the face

they turned down the first request so they fell they should say yes to the second one, larger request followed by smaller one

consistency

there is a urge to behave consistently with previous behaviours and decisions for this reason, people feel bound by their commitment

foot in the door

initial small request, larger follow up request

social proof

people are inclined to conform to the norms of a social group and believe large crowds are collectively smarter than individuals

liking

people are more likely to get persuaded by those that they like

authority

there is a tendency to obey authority figures

scarcity

products are more attractive when their availability is limited