My quest to find my fav granola bars led me to the internet.
Enters this cool website favorably featured on the news as the savior of food, water and clean air.
Simply put, this company is “relentless about finding you the best deals on the best foods.
They source items made with ingredients they trust and would serve to their own families.”
What could go wrong right?
Well they forgot the part where they ship expired snacks.
TWICE — because I believe in giving second chances. 🙄
People love using social proof to build trust and it’s NOT inherently wrong until it becomes deceptive.
Social proof can be problematic for two main reasons ➡ Firstly, we have the classic conundrum of groups leading us astray. You know, when a bunch of people collectively come up with not-so-great conclusions?
Kinda like a bunch of friends deciding that wearing socks with sandals is the next big fashion trend. We call this “herd behavior.”
It’s when the power of the group sways individuals to adopt behaviors that might not be the smartest move. Social proof can be manipulated in ways that make us question OUR OWN decision-making skills.
It steers us towards choices we wouldn’t normally make. Sneaky, right?
You know what’s interesting?
It turns out that we humans have this tendency to imitate the people we feel a connection with.
We’re naturally drawn to those who are similar to us in terms of gender, social class & shared interests. And when we relate to these folks, we tend to mimic their behavior more closely. This phenomenon has a fancy name too: implicit egotism.
It’s basically the idea that we subconsciously like ourselves MORE when we find similarities in others.
SOME of us also have an inherent desire to conform.
Psychologists call this the bandwagon effect- when beliefs & trends are spread between people.
The more people adopt them, the more people are influenced to do so.
Ever wondered why life can be so unfair when it comes to opportunities?
One person hunts tirelessly for a job, sending out their CV left and right, only crickets.
Meanwhile, another person already has a kickass job and yet finds themselves bombarded with enticing offers.
So, what gives?
Social proof of course!
It activates when someone is regarded as successful or attractive.
Social proof influences perception and reaction to information. Its presence enhances acceptance and attention, while its absence leads to dismissal and heightened scrutiny of flaws.
There could be two equally qualified people, but the one with a high-ranking job already seems like a safe bet.
Two writers could be equally talented, but the one whose previous book was a bestseller will have no trouble getting published.
Social proof is a potent force! But it’s JUST a piece of the puzzle.
It’s NOT the full picture.
Think grain of salt ALWAYS!
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