Home / Summaries / Influence : the psychology of persuasion / suicide-people-social

Social Proof: Truths Are Us

12 important questions on Social Proof: Truths Are Us

Why laughter in television programs is useful?

because people have become so accustomed to taking the humorous reactions of others as evidence of what deserves laughter that we, too, can be made to respond to the sound and to the substance of the real thing.
Let op: It is not that we use others laughter to help decide what is humorous and when mirth is appropriate.

What was proven by the research of the cult of believers?

That at the end they tried to spread the word to everyone and if they could inform the uniformed, if they could persuade the skeptics, and if , by so doing, they could win new converts, their threatened but treasured beliefs would become truer. the principle of social proof says so: the greater the number of people who find any idea correct, the more the idea will be correct. The groups assignment was clear; since the physical evidence could not be changed, the social evidence had to be. convince and ye shall be convinced.

What is meant by city-caused apathy?

Bystander effect caused by big cities.

What are 2 reasons for the bystander effect?

1. responsibility of each individual is reduced
2. each person decides that since nobody is concerned, nothing is wrong.

Name 3 reasons why bystander effect occurs more in the city:

1. Cities are more clamorous, distracting, rapidly changing places where it is difficult to be certain of the nature of the events one encounters.
2. Urban environments are more populous, by their nature; consequently, people are more likely to be with others when witnessing a potential emergency situation,
3.. city dwellers know a much smaller percentage of fellow residents than do people who live in small towns.

So confusion, populousness and low levels of acquaintanceship.

Who can you make sure the bystander effect doesn't happen to you when something goes wrong?

Ask for really specific help.

Why is there a strong connection between suicide stories and fatal chrashes?

wrong answer:Because according to the 'social conditions' interpretation, then, some of the same societal factors that cause intentional deaths also cause accidental ones.
Right answer: It is the publicized suicide story itself that produces the car and plane wrecks.

What did the sociologist David Phillips meant with the Werther Effect?

Werther was a guy who committed suicide and after him there was a wave of emulative suicides across Europe. professor David Philips thought that people just copycat suicides they hear from. the think that suicide is an appropriate action for themselves as well. And some people let this happen in for example car accidents so that it won't look like a suicide.

What where the most important findings for the reason of the Werther effect?

1. Only there were more crashes in places where it was placed in the local newspaper.
2. single suicide created single suicide and multiple suicide created multiple suicide.
3. There was a correlation between the ages, young people caused young people to commit suicide.
-> Social proof

What was a reason for the massive suicide by jonestowners?

Uncertainty, people there where not in a familiar place so what you do in uncertainty is looking at what ohters do -> social proof.
but also bystander: people looked at surrounding individuals and everybody stayed calm.

What are two types of situation in which incorrect data cause the principle of social proof to give us poor counsel?

1. When the social evidence has been purposely falsified.

What should you do to overcome social proof?

We need to look up and around periodically whenever we are locked onto the evidence of the crowd.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Influence : the psychology of persuasion | 9780061241895 | Robert B Cialdini

View summary

A unique study and practice tool
Never study anything twice again
Get the grades you hope for
100% sure, 100% understanding

Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.

Social Proof: Truths Are Us

12 important questions on Social Proof: Truths Are Us

Why laughter in television programs is useful?

What was proven by the research of the cult of believers?

What is meant by city-caused apathy?

What are 2 reasons for the bystander effect?

Name 3 reasons why bystander effect occurs more in the city:

Who can you make sure the bystander effect doesn't happen to you when something goes wrong?

Why is there a strong connection between suicide stories and fatal chrashes?

What did the sociologist David Phillips meant with the Werther Effect?

What where the most important findings for the reason of the Werther effect?

What was a reason for the massive suicide by jonestowners?

What are two types of situation in which incorrect data cause the principle of social proof to give us poor counsel?

What should you do to overcome social proof?

Summaries related to Reciprocation: The old Give and Take... and Take

Influence : the psychology of persuasion

Law and self-regulation legal and business p…

Social networks and organizations

Reader the psychology of Media and Communica…

Class notes - Media and Communication

Indian Economics

Global politics

Essentials of international relations

Behavioral genetics

Management and organisational behaviour

Follow Up Engels idioom 4/5 H

International Business