Social Proof

Social proof happens in a social situation when a person has or wants to do something yet is not sure the right thing to do. They seek social proof from someone or something outside of themselves to help them make their decision. The source of that proof could be parent, television personality, child, friend, or "expert" opinion in a book they read.

Social Proof is one of six psychological "principles" that direct human behavior identified by Robert B. Cialdini in his book, Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion(New York: William Morrow, 1984, 1993).

The six principles given by Cialdini are: consistency, reciprocation, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. (p. xiii)

For example, you are driving on your way home which is down the road about a mile. You come around a bend and see an emergency vehicle's lights flashing and a detour sign and a police officer in uniform telling you to take a side road. You do it because you have ceded authority to the guy in the uniform and to the emergency vehicle whose lights are flashing.

But if you came across the same situation with a car off to the side of the road, no emergency vehicle, and a guy in old clothes waving at you from the side, you'd probably be concerned and drive on past. You might call 9-1-1 to report someone in trouble, but you certainly wouldn't stop and let him in.

That's the power of social proof: the emergency lights and the uniform. What if that was a scam to rob people going by. You assume it's on the up and up because of the situation.