How Does Social Influence: Crash Course Psychology #38 Work?

Social influence is when people change their thoughts or actions because others are around them, like how you might start jumping rope if your friend does it right next to you.

Imagine you're at the park, and everyone is laughing. You might laugh too, even if you don’t know why. That’s social influence, it’s like when you follow a leader in a game, and everyone does what they say.

It's like wearing your favorite shirt to school because all your friends are wearing the same one. You feel cool, and maybe you even start liking that shirt more just because others do too. That’s how social influence works, it makes things feel easier or more fun when we're with people who act like we should be doing something too.

It's like when you’re trying to decide what snack to pick, and your friend says, “I’m getting the chocolate bar!” Suddenly, that snack sounds really good. You might even forget about the other options because social influence helps you make decisions quickly, just by seeing what others choose.

So next time you copy someone or start doing something just because they're doing it, remember: that’s social influence at work!