Informational Social Influence

When we are in an unfamiliar setting with ambiguous indicators of proper behavior, we look to our peers for guidance on the proper actions to take. "The influence of other people leads us to conform because we see them as a source of information to guide our behavior" (Aronson, et al., 2005). This description captures the essence of a phenomenon known as informational social influence. "We conform because we believe that others' interpretation of an ambiguous situation is more correct that ours and will help us choose an appropriate course of action" (Aronson, et al., 2005, p. 240). It should be clear that the defining point of informational social influence, is that it guides individuals to a somewhat rational decision.

In informational social influence, as opposed to normative social influence, individuals gain information about an unfamiliar situation through the observation of others as well as a variety of other sources. This information serves as assistance for determining the proper course of action, rather than controlling the situation altogether. Currently, on the University of Massachusetts at Amherst campus, there is a campaign being organized by the student government to decrease binge drinking. On the side of several busses in the area, signs read "Three out of five Amherst students have three or fewer drinks per week." It seems that this campaign is aimed at students who find a great deal of ambiguity in their new social surrounding at the university. Theoretically, if the majority of students are perceived as non-binge drinkers, then the best decision to make, judging from the actions of others, is to also not binge drink. If this is the case, then overall binge drinking on campuses running these campaigns should decrease. These campaigns have been attempted all over the country, and while the results of this tactic are debated to some degree (Aronson, et al., 2005), the tactic is very telling of informational influence. In this naturalistic experiment, obviously there are a variety of factors that could influence student drinking habits, and this campaign is just one part of a very dynamic puzzle.

Informational social influence is used frequently in the service industry. There is a common practice among those who rely on tips for the majority of their income. Those who "salt" their tip jars tend to experience a higher rate of gratuity. As an adolescent, the author of this thesis worked in an ice cream parlor. It became standard practice to place five, ten, and twenty dollar bills in the tip jar to encourage customers to do the same. This may seem like a very trivial and ineffective way to bring in more tips, but the results were noticeable, and can be explained through informational social influence. The degree to which someone should tip is always somewhat ambiguous. If a customer is looking for guidance on how much is an appropriate tip, when they notice large bills, a clue is given to what is appropriate in situation, and can be influenced to increase the amount of their gratuity.

Ushers in churches have been known to do the same. If there is already some money in the offering plate, other church-goers are more likely to follow suit (Cialdini, 1984, p. 118). In fact, religious organizations have used social influence in quite a few ways, namely, altar calls. Billy Graham was known to have had thousands of confederates in his crusades who would "spontaneously" move to the front of whichever stadium was being used, to proclaim their reborn faith. This outcry of confession was meant to motivate others to do the same (Cialdini, 1984, p. 118).

Works Cited

Aronson, E., Wilson, T.D., & Akert, R.M. (2005). Social Psychology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Company.

Cialdini, R.B. (1984). Influence : how and why people agree to things. New York: Morrow.