Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-zc66z Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-09T14:34:55.678Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - Social Influence and AC4P Behavior

from INTRODUCTION TO PART I - EVIDENCE-BASED PRINCIPLES OF AC4P

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2016

E. Scott Geller
By
Cory Furrow  and
E. Scott Geller
E. Scott Geller
Affiliation:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Cory Furrow
Affiliation:
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
E. Scott Geller
Affiliation:
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
Get access

Summary

Don't criticize them; they are just what we would be under similar circumstances.

– Abraham Lincoln

For an AC4P culture to thrive over the long term, self-motivation is essential (see Chapter 3). However, people sometimes need a slight extrinsic nudge to perform AC4P behavior. Six social-influence principles, founded on more than fifty years of research by social psychologists, offer practical techniques to help make this happen – strategies to activate and/or support occurrences of AC4P behavior.

Social influence is defined as perceived pressure or support from others that results in notable change in an individual's behavior. Do not confuse this with persuasion. This is more than changing one's opinion or attitude, although such change might follow a change in behavior, as we discuss later in this chapter. Persuasion does not necessarily change observable behavior.

In this chapter we explain practical behavior-change techniques derived from six basic social-influence principles – consistency, liking, reciprocity, social proof, authority, and scarcity. We illustrate how these principles and related techniques have been (or could be) used to nudge others to perform AC4P behaviors or to increase the probability certain AC4P behavior will continue. Appropriate interventions based on these principles can help cultivate an AC4P culture of compassion and propel expansion of the AC4P Movement worldwide.

Before defining the social-influence principles and their applications, let's review the concepts related to the applicability of these principles – three types of behavior change and their connection to the activator-behavior-consequence (ABC) model of applied behavioral science (ABS), as explained in Chapter 1.

THREE TYPES OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE

Conformity, compliance, and obedience are three types of behavior change that result from social influence. Note that conformity occurs when explicit social pressure is relatively low, whereas obedience follows the perception of high social pressure.

Conformity

Conformity is an attempt to fit-in. We conform when we alter our behavior to match the behavior of others. A student will likely drink more beer at a college party if peers consume lots of beer. And one's attire at the party will be formal or informal to match the attire of other partygoers.

Compliance

Compliance comes about when we are directly or indirectly requested to change a behavior. A direct request emanates from an interpersonal interaction, usually verbal communication. An indirect request uses a message or sign to solicit compliance.

Type
Chapter
Information
Applied Psychology
Actively Caring for People
 , pp. 185 - 227
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2016

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Kenrick, D. T., Neuberg, S. L., & Cialdini, R. B. (2002). Social psychology: Unraveling the mystery (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.
2. Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2009).Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New York: Penguin Group.
3. Geller, E. S. (1996). The psychology of safety: How to improve behaviors and attitudes on the job. Radnor, PA: Chilton; Geller, E. S. (2001). The psychology of safety handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; Geller, E. S., & Veazie, B. (2014). Behavior-based safety versus actively caring: From other-directed compliance to self-directed commitment. Professional Safety, 59(10), 44–50.
4. Lehman, P. K., & Geller, E. S. (2008). Applications of social psychology to increase the impact of behavior-focused intervention. In Steg, L., Buunk, A. P., & Rothengatter, T. (Eds.). Applied social psychology: Understanding and managing social problems (pp. 117–136). New York: Cambridge University Press.
5. Cialdini, R. B., & Goldstein, N. J. (2004). Social influence: Compliance and conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 591–621.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Geller, E. S. (2001). The psychology of safety handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; Geller, E. S., Roberts, D. S., & Gilmore, M. R. (1996). Predicting propensity to actively care for occupational safety. Journal of Safety Research, 27, 1–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
8. Bem, D. J. (1967). Self-perception: An alternative interpretation of cognitive dissonance phenomena. Psychological Review, 74, 183–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Bem, D. J. (1972). Self-perception theory. In Berkowitz, L. (Ed.). Advances in experimental psychology, Vol. 6 (pp. 1–62). New York: Academic Press.
10. Freedman, J. L., & Fraser, S. C. (1966). Compliance without pressure: The foot-in-the-door technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 195–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Cialdini, R. B., Eisenberg, N., Green, B. L., Rhoads, K., & Bator, R. (1998). Undermining the undermining effect of reward in sustained interest: When unnecessary conditions are sufficient. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 28, 249–63; Tybout, A. M., & Yalch, R. F. (1980). The effect of experience: A matter of salience? Journal of Consumer Research, 6, 406–413.
12. Kraut, R. E. (1973). Effects of social labeling on giving to charity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 9, 551–562.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Kraut, R. E. (1973). Effects of social labeling on giving to charity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 9, 551–562, p. 554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Kraut, R. E. (1973). Effects of social labeling on giving to charity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 9, 551–562., p. 555.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15. Retrieved from www.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl, July 23, 2015.
16. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballotine Books.
17. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. NewYork: Ballotine Books, p. 71.
18. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballotine Books, p. 72.
19. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York: Ballotine Books, p. 73.
20. Geller, E. S. (2001).The psychology of safety handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; Geller, E. S, & Veazie, B. (2010). When no one's watching: Living and leading self-motivation. Newport, VA: Make-A-Difference; Ludwig, T. D., & Geller, E. S. (2001). Intervening to improve the safety of occupational driving: A behavior-change model and review of empirical evidence. New York: Haworth Press; Monty, R. A., & Perlmuter, L. C. (1975). Persistence of the effect of choice on paired-associate learning, Memory & Cognition, 3, 183–187; Perlmuter, L. C., Monty, R. A., & Kimble, G. A. (1971). Effect of choice on paired-associate learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 91, 47–58; Steiner, I. D. (1970). Perceived freedom. In Berkowitz, L. (Ed.). Advancements in experimental social psychology, Vol. 5 (pp. 187–248). New York: Academic Press.
21. Fazio, R. H., Sherman, S. J., & Herr, P. M. (1982). The feature-positive effect in the self-perception process. Does not doing matter as much as doing?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 404–411.Google Scholar
22. Schlenker, B. R., Dlugolecki, D. W., & Doherty, K. (1994). The impact of self-presentations on self-appraisals and behavior. The power of public commitment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 20, 20–33; Tedeshi, J. T., Schlenker, B. R., & Bonoma, T. V. (1971). Cognitive dissonance: Private ratiocination or public spectacle? American Psychologist, 26, 685–695.
23. Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
24. Emswiller, T., Deaux, K., & Willits, J. E. (1971). Similarity, sex, and requests for small favors. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1, 284–291.Google Scholar
25. Burger, J. M., Messian, N., Patel, S., Prado, A., & Anderson, C. (2004). What a coincidence! The effects of incidental similarity on compliance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 35–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26. Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1978). Interpersonal attraction. Reading, MA; Addison-Wesley; Howard, D. J., Gengler, C., & Jain, A. (1995). What's in a name? A complimentary means of persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 22, 200–211; Howard, D. J., Gengler, C., & Jain, A. (1997). The name remembrance effect. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 12, 801–810.
27. Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 9, 1–27.Google Scholar
28. Gouldner, A. (1960). The norm or reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25(2), 161–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29. Babylon's Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest known set of laws. It is based upon lextalionis (eye for an eye), which means for every crime committed an equitable punishment should be issued.
30. Kunz, P. R., & Woolcott, M. (1976). Season's greetings: From my status to yours. Social Science Research, 5(3), 269–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31. Trivers, R. L. (1971). The evolution of reciprocal altruism. Quarterly Reviews of Biology, 46(1), 35–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32. Boyce, T. E., & Geller, E. S. (2001). Encouraging college students to support pro-environmental behavior: Effects of direct versus indirect rewards. Environment and Behavior, 33, 107–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33. Goldstein, N. J., Griskevicius, V., & Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Invoking social norms: A social psychology perspective on improving hotel's linen-reuse programs. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 48(2), 145–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34. Goldstein, N. J., Griskevicius, V., & Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Invoking social norms: A social psychology perspective on improving hotel's linen-reuse programs. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 48(2), 146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35. Goldstein, N. J., Griskevicius, V., & Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Invoking social norms: A social psychology perspective on improving hotel's linen-reuse programs. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 48(2), 147–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
36. Cialdini, R. B., Vincent, J. E., Lewis, S. K., Catalan, J., Wheeler, D., & Darby, B. L. (1975). Reciprocal concessions procedure for inducing compliance: The door-in-the-face technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 206–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37. Schwartzwald, D., Raz, M., & Zwibel, M. (1979). The applicability of the door-in-the-face technique when established behavior customs exit. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 9, 576–586.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38. Nowak, M. A., & Sigmund, K. (2005). Evolution of indirect reciprocity. Nature, 437, 1291–1298; Stanca, L. (2009). Measuring indirect reciprocity: Whose back do we scratch? Journal of Economic Psychology, 30(2), 190–202.CrossRef
39. Furrow, C., McCarty, S., & Geller, E. S. (in press). Intervening to promote pay-it-forward behavior: Impact of prompting an act of kindness. Journal of Prevention Intervention in the Community.
40. Brecker, S. J., Olson, J. M., & Wiggins, E. C. (2006). Social psychology alive. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
41. Deutsch, M., & Gerard, H. B. (1955). A study of normative and informational social influences upon individual judgment. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 51, 629–636.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
42. Sherif, M. (1936). The psychology of social norms. Oxford: Harper.
43. Sherif, M. (1935). A study of some social factors in perception. Archives of Psychology, 27(187), 1–60; Sherif, M. (1936). The psychology of social norms. Oxford: Harper; Sherif, M. (1937). An experimental approach to the study of attitudes. Sociometry, 1, 90–89.CrossRef
44. Sherif, M. (1935). A study of some social factors in perception. Archives of Psychology, 27(187), 1–60.Google Scholar
45. Sherif, M. (1937). An experimental approach to the study of attitudes. Sociometry, 1, 90–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
46. Asch, S. E. (1951). Effects of group pressure upon the modification and distortion of judgments. In Guetzkow, H. (Ed.). Groups leadership and men (pp. 177–190). Pittsburgh: Carnegie Press; Asch, S. E. (1952). Social psychology. New York: Prentice Hall; Asch, S. E. (1956), Studies of independence and conformity: A minority of one against a unanimous majority. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 70(9), 1–70.
47. Milgram, S., Bickman, L., & Berkowitz, L. (1969). Note on the drawing power of crowds of different size. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 13, 79–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
48. Latane, B. (1981). The psychology of social impact. American Psychologist, 35(4), 343–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
49. Cialdini, R. B., Kallgren, C. A., & Reno, R. R. (1991). A focus theory of normative conduct: A theoretical refinement and reevaluation of the role of norms in human behavior. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 24, 201–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
50. Examples are the Stanford Prison Experiment, Milgram studies, rape of Rwanda, and the Holocaust.
51. Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to authority: An experimental view. New York: Harper & Row.
52. Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral study of obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 371–378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
53. Bushman, B. J. (1988). The effects of apparel on compliance: A field experiment with a female authority figure. Personal and Social Psychology Bulletin, 14, 459–467.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
54. Koslowsky, M., Schwarzwald, J., & Ashuri, S. (2001). On the relationship between subordinates’ compliance to power sources and organizational attitudes. Applied Psychology: International Review, 50, 455–476; Raven, B. H., Schwarzwald, J., & Koslowsky, M. (1998). Conceptualizing and measuring a power/interaction model of interpersonal influence. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 6, 161–168.
55. Kahneman, D., Slovic, P., & Tversky, A. (1982) (Eds.). Judgments under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. New York: Cambridge University Press.
56. Bickman, L. (1974). The social power of a uniform. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 4, 47–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
57. Lefkowitz, M., Blake, R. R., & Mouton, J. S. (1955). Status factors in pedestrian violation of traffic signals. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 51, 704–706.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
58. Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson; Hofling, C. K., Brotzman, E., Dalrymple, S., Graves, N., & Pierce, C. M. (1966). An experimental study of nurse–physician relationships. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 143, 171–180.Google Scholar
59. Hofling, C. K., Brotzman, E., Dalrymple, S., Graves, N., & Pierce, C. M. (1966). An experimental study of nurse–physician relationships. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 143, 171–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
60. Brehm, J. W. (1966). A theory of psychological reactance. New York: Academic Press.
61. Skinner, B. F. (1971). Beyond freedom and dignity. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
62. Teie, S. Y., McCarty, S. M., & McCutchen, J. (2014). Sustaining compassion after tragic school shootings: Applying the AC4P Principles at Virginia Tech and Chardon High School. In Geller, E. S. (Ed.). Actively caring at your school: How to make it happen (pp. 225–236). Newport, VA: Make-A-Difference, LLC.
63. Geller, E. S. (Ed.). (2014). Actively caring at your school: How to make it happen (2nd ed.). Newport, VA: Make-A-Difference; Geller, E. S. (Ed.). (2014). Actively caring for people: Cultivating a culture of compassion (4th ed.). Newport, VA: Make-A-Difference.
64. McCarty, S., Teie, S., McCutchen, J., & Geller, E. S. (in press). Actively caring to prevent bullying in an elementary school: Prompting and rewarding prosocial behavior. Journal of Prevention Intervention in the Community; McCarty, S. M., & Geller, E. S. (2014). Actively caring to prevent bullying: Activating and rewarding prosocial behavior in elementary schools. In Geller, E. S. (Ed.). Actively caring for people: Cultivating a culture of compassion (4th ed.) (pp. 177–197). Newport, VA: Make-A-Difference.
65. Case studies are available on the ac4p.org Website.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×