Social Proof
Social-Self BoundariesDefinition
The psychological tendency to assume that the actions or beliefs of others reflect correct behavior. Social proof is a heuristic that helps in uncertainty but can be manufactured and exploited.
How It Shows Up Internally
Social proof feels like intuitive confidence that something is correct because others endorse it. It might feel uncomfortable to diverge from perceived group consensus, or reassuring to align with the crowd.
Examples
- 1Choosing a busy restaurant over an empty one
- 2Trusting a product with thousands of positive reviews
- 3Adopting opinions that seem popular in your social circle
Related Modules
Related Patterns
manufactured consensusastroturfing