Ever notice yourself copying what others are doing or saying at social events? This is probably happening because of a psychological condition called informational social influence.
So, I’ve been seeing a lot of people wearing puffer jackets lately, like I mentioned before, and wanted one too.
But I didn’t know which style or size was good for me.
This is where my sister and cousins came in.
We were shopping during Boxing Week (it’s like Black Friday in the US but around Christmas Day) and I asked them to help me find a new jacket because I wanted their advice.
I tried a few on (different styles and different colours) and I liked most of them.
But there was a specific one that my family liked more than the others.
And because I valued their opinion, I also found that one specific jacket to look the best on me.
So what’s the point of this uninteresting story?
Well, it’s an example of a psychological phenomenon where people will look to others to find out how they should behave when they don’t know how to react. Continue reading “What is Informational Social Influence and How Does it Affect Our Decisions?”