What is Social Proof?
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon in which people look to the actions of others to determine how to behave, especially in uncertain situations. This tendency is driven by the idea that what other people are doing is correct or desirable, so copying them is an efficient way to decide how to act.
The Basic Idea
Think back to the first day of classes in college. Everything was new to you as you nervously entered the lecture hall and chose a seat. Not sure whether to use your laptop or a notebook, you likely looked around to see what your peers were doing. Maybe you even looked at what they were wearing to determine whether your attire was appropriate. Perhaps you checked if people were drinking coffee or eating a snack to know if that was acceptable, and acted according to the behavior of those around you.
This process of conforming to socially acceptable behavior is known as social proof. Social proof is both a psychological and social phenomenon in which we tend to copy the actions of those around us to conform to behaviors that we believe fit the situation. Essentially, we look to those around us for clues about the “right” way to behave, especially in ambiguous circumstances.
While social proof can promote the uptake of positive behaviors, it can also lead to undesirable conformity or problematic herd behavior. At times, social proof is a stronger influence than rules—if other people are not following the guidelines, we may not feel obligated to follow them either. For example, if you saw that everyone was crossing a crosswalk when the walk light was red, you might follow their footsteps and do the same.
Lack of skepticism is often the result of our social beliefs. No one would believe such absurd nonsense as a moon made of cheese or a flying teapot when it is proposed in such an unfamiliar way. However, when we encounter equally absurd belief systems in socially or historically-familiar contexts, they seem to have a measure of proof and be established or valid. In other words, a lot of people believing some total bullshit creates a form of social proof.
– Sia Mohajer, an educational psychologist, in his book I’m Right – You’re Wrong: How to Think Clearer, Argue Better and Stop Lying to Yourself1
