Someone Is Watching You Read This
I’m currently reading Peter Bevelin’s excellent book Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger. In it, he mentions the following research:
“A real-world setting showed that people nearly trebled the amount of money they put in a psychology department coffee room box when they were watched by a pair of eyes on a poster, compared with a poster with an image of flowers. Further studies have shown that we donate more when we get public recognition for our good deeds. American 20th Century writer Henry Louis Mencken said: ‘Conscience is the inner voice that tells us someone might be looking.’”
If you think someone is watching (even if it’s just a poster!), you will make more socially-minded decisions.
These studies perfectly illustrate social proof. Other peoples’ opinions are powerful levers that shape your decisions.
How You Can Use Watching
- Use Eyes — When you want someone to take a more socially-minded choice, make sure there is the presence of someone watching them at the point when they have to make the choice. For example, if a decision is being made online, you could have a picture on your website of someone looking at the user right at the point when they have to make a decision.
- Public Shoutouts — Tell people you will give public shoutouts (on social media, for example) for people who take certain courses of action.
How have you seen people be affected by the social proof of others watching them? Share your expertise in the comments!
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