Social Proof

We are strongly influenced by what we see or know other people are doing. We might be looking for guidance on the best option, we might want to do something so others look favorably on us, or we might not consciously realize that we are using others as a guide.

Applications

• Consider telling people how they directly compare to other individuals in their communities, such as telling doctors if they are in the top 30% of antibiotic prescribers or households if they use more energy than their neighbors.

• Consider providing information on what the majority of people are (or approve of) doing, for example that 95% of people recycle. (But if the information is lower than people expected, it could have the opposite effect on behavior.)

Considerations

Comparisons should be to aspirational or similar people.