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

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