Social Influence Summary All Material
Week 1 - Introduction
Social influence = when one’s emotions, opinions, or behaviours are affected by others.
• (pure) persuasion: intentional, focused at others, non-coercive but complaince gaining:
request.
- Compliance gaining = use of strategies and tactics to influence others to comply with a
request
Controlled vs automatic processes:
Controlled Automatic
Awareness Lack of awareness
Intended Unintended
Controllable Uncontrollable
Effortful Efficient
Heuristics:
• Strategies using readily accessible, though loosely applicable, information to decide
• Rules of thumb, educated guesses, intuitive judgements, common sense
• In part unconscious, automated choices
• Fixed-action pattern: behaviours that occur in virtually the same fashion and order every
time
Why do we use heuristics:
• Cognitive limitations
• Limited time, energy
• We cannot deliberate on every choice we make
• Efficient, heuristics work very well most of the time. Overall, heuristics are rational
People like reasons for what they do
• People are more likely to do us a favor when we provide them a reason to do so
• Expensive = good and saving costs, inexpensive = bad discounts, you buy something
expensive (=good) for lower price
Self-persuasion: the process by which individuals convince themselves to adopt or reinforce beliefs,
attitudes, or behaviors through their own reasoning or actions, rather than external influence.
Effort heuristic:
• The effort, time involved in producing is an indicator of value
• Slogans in rhyme more positive effects, believed to be more true
• Hard to get: We see the effort we put into something as a sign of value that person has to us.
However, this is something we realize afterward, not beforehand.
• Example: An app that’s free but you’ve put a lot of effort into, like adding your schedule, etc.
Because of this effort, you see it as more valuable.
1
, • Easier to process, so more likely to be true The more easy it is to think of positive aspects
of a product, the more positively that ‘product’ is evaluated
• Sloppy handwriting less persuasive
• Complex writing less persuasive
Recognition heuristic: If one of two objects is recognized and the other is not, we think that the
recognized object has the higher value with respect to the criterion.
• Pick option thats most familiar
• We think the recognized object has higher value than the other
• In many cases this is valid assumption (cities you hear most about are often the largest)
• You can use this in repetition (commercial), fact that you recognize them usually means you
assign higher value to it
Simulation heuristic: The likelihood of an event is based on how easy it is to picture mentally (e.g.
risk perceptions)
• People regret missed opportunities more when they are easy to imagine (e.g., near misses
feel worse, because we can imagine it).
• The chance of something happening feels higher if it’s easy to picture (e.g., risk perceptions
like a plane or train accident). If you can invision something to happen you think its more
likely to happen
Similarity heuristic: people make judgements based on similarity between current situations and
(prototypes of) other situations.
• Adaptive: maximizing productivity through favorable experience while not repeating
unfavorable experiences.
• You can use this in algorithmes, e.g. ‘today’s recommendations for you:’
Contract principle heuristic: When a second item is different from the first, we see the difference as
bigger than it really is. Differences in stuff, you have tendency to overestimate that difference to
clarify the distance between the 2.
• Reference point: We compare items to the first one we see.
• Sell costly items first, this will make the other item look less expensive (the other way around
is not effective)
• Cars: After buying a car, extra options seem less expensive because the car’s price is your
reference.
• Real estate: Show an ugly house first to make other houses look better.
Compromise:
• When choosing between products, we tend to take the inexpensive option.
• When adding a third, more expensive option, people take the middle option = compromise
• Sales of expensive options can be increased by adding even more expensive options.
Persuasive messages:
• When people think really hard they might not rely on those automatic heuristics
- Dual process of persuasion = when we use heuristics and why:
o Elaboration likelihood model
o Heuristic systematic model
2
, o Kahneman’s two systems
Conclusion: When selling insurance, you can use multiple strategies together:
• Because: Adding "because" makes your reasoning more convincing.
• Expensive: “I don’t want the cheapest option; I want to be fully covered.”
• Effort-value: “Simplify your life with our insurance—it brings peace of mind.”
• Effort-processing argument: “Our insurance is designed to be simple and easy to
understand.”
• Recognition heuristic: Choose the one that is frequently recommended or familiar.
• Simulation: Help people visualize scenarios where the insurance would help.
• Reference point + compromise: Offer a very expensive and very cheap option, so people
choose the middle.
• Contrast: Show a plan with low coverage to make slightly better options seem more
appealing.
Week 2 – Social Proof 1
Overview of Social Proof and Influence
• Social Influence & Persuasion:
o Social influence involves how people's behavior and attitudes are shaped by others.
o Persuasion is the active attempt to change attitudes or behaviors.
• Heuristics: Mental shortcuts used when processing information, often employed under low
cognitive effort or motivation.
The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) – states that central and peripheral processing can coexist
• Central Route: Focuses on argument quality, requiring high involvement and cognitive ability.
• Peripheral Route: Relies on superficial cues (e.g., attractiveness of a presenter) when
motivation or ability is low.
• Motivation Factors: Include personal relevance, responsibility, and need for cognition.
• Ability Factors: Include distractions, knowledge, repetition, emotional arousal, and
complexity.
ELM:
• People want to be correct in their attitudes
• Elaboration: the degree to which you think about an issue relevant to the arguments
• The model states that the degree to which you elaborate is dependent on your ability to do
so and your motivation to do so
• This model helps us to understand what helps people change their minds
• If the persuasive message leads to attitude change depends on level of elaboration
3
, • The route you choose depends on your message If your message is weak, use the
peripheral route to persuade (focus on simple cues like attractiveness or familiarity).
• Motivation depends on:
- Central route (focused thinking):
o Involvement: If it’s important to you, you’re more likely to use the central route.
o Responsibility: Feeling responsible makes you more likely to think critically.
o Personal relevance: The more relevant it is to you, the more you’ll engage in
deeper thinking.
o Need for cognition: Some people naturally enjoy thinking deeply and will prefer
the central route.
- Peripheral route (quick cues):
o Low involvement: If it doesn’t feel important, you’re less likely to engage deeply.
• Ability depends on:
- Central route (focused thinking):
o Knowledge: Familiarity with the topic helps you process arguments deeply.
o Complexity: If arguments are detailed, you’re more likely to use the central route
to evaluate them.
- Peripheral route (quick cues):
o Distraction: If you can’t focus, you’ll rely on simpler cues.
o Repetition: Familiarity with repeated messages can act as a shortcut.
o Time: Emotional arousal: Intense emotions make rational thinking harder.
o Mental fatigue: Being tired leads to reliance on peripheral cues.
o Limited time pushes you toward quick, peripheral decisions.
Dual-Process Theories
• Kahneman’s Systems:
o System 1 (intuition): Fast, automatic, and heuristic-based.
o System 2 (reasoning): Slow, deliberate, and analytical.
Social Proof
• Definition: The phenomenon where individuals copy the actions of others to make decisions
in ambiguous situations. Social proof is a type of heuristic. ‘We are sheeps, live in groups,
influenced by other people’
• Why People Conform:
4
Week 1 - Introduction
Social influence = when one’s emotions, opinions, or behaviours are affected by others.
• (pure) persuasion: intentional, focused at others, non-coercive but complaince gaining:
request.
- Compliance gaining = use of strategies and tactics to influence others to comply with a
request
Controlled vs automatic processes:
Controlled Automatic
Awareness Lack of awareness
Intended Unintended
Controllable Uncontrollable
Effortful Efficient
Heuristics:
• Strategies using readily accessible, though loosely applicable, information to decide
• Rules of thumb, educated guesses, intuitive judgements, common sense
• In part unconscious, automated choices
• Fixed-action pattern: behaviours that occur in virtually the same fashion and order every
time
Why do we use heuristics:
• Cognitive limitations
• Limited time, energy
• We cannot deliberate on every choice we make
• Efficient, heuristics work very well most of the time. Overall, heuristics are rational
People like reasons for what they do
• People are more likely to do us a favor when we provide them a reason to do so
• Expensive = good and saving costs, inexpensive = bad discounts, you buy something
expensive (=good) for lower price
Self-persuasion: the process by which individuals convince themselves to adopt or reinforce beliefs,
attitudes, or behaviors through their own reasoning or actions, rather than external influence.
Effort heuristic:
• The effort, time involved in producing is an indicator of value
• Slogans in rhyme more positive effects, believed to be more true
• Hard to get: We see the effort we put into something as a sign of value that person has to us.
However, this is something we realize afterward, not beforehand.
• Example: An app that’s free but you’ve put a lot of effort into, like adding your schedule, etc.
Because of this effort, you see it as more valuable.
1
, • Easier to process, so more likely to be true The more easy it is to think of positive aspects
of a product, the more positively that ‘product’ is evaluated
• Sloppy handwriting less persuasive
• Complex writing less persuasive
Recognition heuristic: If one of two objects is recognized and the other is not, we think that the
recognized object has the higher value with respect to the criterion.
• Pick option thats most familiar
• We think the recognized object has higher value than the other
• In many cases this is valid assumption (cities you hear most about are often the largest)
• You can use this in repetition (commercial), fact that you recognize them usually means you
assign higher value to it
Simulation heuristic: The likelihood of an event is based on how easy it is to picture mentally (e.g.
risk perceptions)
• People regret missed opportunities more when they are easy to imagine (e.g., near misses
feel worse, because we can imagine it).
• The chance of something happening feels higher if it’s easy to picture (e.g., risk perceptions
like a plane or train accident). If you can invision something to happen you think its more
likely to happen
Similarity heuristic: people make judgements based on similarity between current situations and
(prototypes of) other situations.
• Adaptive: maximizing productivity through favorable experience while not repeating
unfavorable experiences.
• You can use this in algorithmes, e.g. ‘today’s recommendations for you:’
Contract principle heuristic: When a second item is different from the first, we see the difference as
bigger than it really is. Differences in stuff, you have tendency to overestimate that difference to
clarify the distance between the 2.
• Reference point: We compare items to the first one we see.
• Sell costly items first, this will make the other item look less expensive (the other way around
is not effective)
• Cars: After buying a car, extra options seem less expensive because the car’s price is your
reference.
• Real estate: Show an ugly house first to make other houses look better.
Compromise:
• When choosing between products, we tend to take the inexpensive option.
• When adding a third, more expensive option, people take the middle option = compromise
• Sales of expensive options can be increased by adding even more expensive options.
Persuasive messages:
• When people think really hard they might not rely on those automatic heuristics
- Dual process of persuasion = when we use heuristics and why:
o Elaboration likelihood model
o Heuristic systematic model
2
, o Kahneman’s two systems
Conclusion: When selling insurance, you can use multiple strategies together:
• Because: Adding "because" makes your reasoning more convincing.
• Expensive: “I don’t want the cheapest option; I want to be fully covered.”
• Effort-value: “Simplify your life with our insurance—it brings peace of mind.”
• Effort-processing argument: “Our insurance is designed to be simple and easy to
understand.”
• Recognition heuristic: Choose the one that is frequently recommended or familiar.
• Simulation: Help people visualize scenarios where the insurance would help.
• Reference point + compromise: Offer a very expensive and very cheap option, so people
choose the middle.
• Contrast: Show a plan with low coverage to make slightly better options seem more
appealing.
Week 2 – Social Proof 1
Overview of Social Proof and Influence
• Social Influence & Persuasion:
o Social influence involves how people's behavior and attitudes are shaped by others.
o Persuasion is the active attempt to change attitudes or behaviors.
• Heuristics: Mental shortcuts used when processing information, often employed under low
cognitive effort or motivation.
The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) – states that central and peripheral processing can coexist
• Central Route: Focuses on argument quality, requiring high involvement and cognitive ability.
• Peripheral Route: Relies on superficial cues (e.g., attractiveness of a presenter) when
motivation or ability is low.
• Motivation Factors: Include personal relevance, responsibility, and need for cognition.
• Ability Factors: Include distractions, knowledge, repetition, emotional arousal, and
complexity.
ELM:
• People want to be correct in their attitudes
• Elaboration: the degree to which you think about an issue relevant to the arguments
• The model states that the degree to which you elaborate is dependent on your ability to do
so and your motivation to do so
• This model helps us to understand what helps people change their minds
• If the persuasive message leads to attitude change depends on level of elaboration
3
, • The route you choose depends on your message If your message is weak, use the
peripheral route to persuade (focus on simple cues like attractiveness or familiarity).
• Motivation depends on:
- Central route (focused thinking):
o Involvement: If it’s important to you, you’re more likely to use the central route.
o Responsibility: Feeling responsible makes you more likely to think critically.
o Personal relevance: The more relevant it is to you, the more you’ll engage in
deeper thinking.
o Need for cognition: Some people naturally enjoy thinking deeply and will prefer
the central route.
- Peripheral route (quick cues):
o Low involvement: If it doesn’t feel important, you’re less likely to engage deeply.
• Ability depends on:
- Central route (focused thinking):
o Knowledge: Familiarity with the topic helps you process arguments deeply.
o Complexity: If arguments are detailed, you’re more likely to use the central route
to evaluate them.
- Peripheral route (quick cues):
o Distraction: If you can’t focus, you’ll rely on simpler cues.
o Repetition: Familiarity with repeated messages can act as a shortcut.
o Time: Emotional arousal: Intense emotions make rational thinking harder.
o Mental fatigue: Being tired leads to reliance on peripheral cues.
o Limited time pushes you toward quick, peripheral decisions.
Dual-Process Theories
• Kahneman’s Systems:
o System 1 (intuition): Fast, automatic, and heuristic-based.
o System 2 (reasoning): Slow, deliberate, and analytical.
Social Proof
• Definition: The phenomenon where individuals copy the actions of others to make decisions
in ambiguous situations. Social proof is a type of heuristic. ‘We are sheeps, live in groups,
influenced by other people’
• Why People Conform:
4
