What is social proof? Is it always a good idea to follow the crowd? Social proof is a psychosocial phenomenon whereby people copy others’ behavior before participating in that behavior themselves. This tendency had survival value in the past: If everyone ran away, you ran too because there was probably a predator nearby. However, in modern times, most of our decisions are not life-or-death decisions, and following the crowd can often lead you astray. Here’s why, in modern times, social proof can often do more harm than good.
Rolf Dobelli: What Is Social Proof?
