Social Influence Tactics Research Articles

Threatened by the immoral, challenged by the incompetent: Cardiovascular responses to intragroup morality vs. competence evaluations

In group contexts, moral judgments are used as social influence tactics to regulate the behavior of group members. We argue that communicating moral disapproval with the aim of adapting group members’ behavior might backfire because it elicits (negative) threat rather than (positive) challenge. In two experiments, we examined the motivational consequences of negative morality (vs. competence) evaluations in group contexts. Participants worked on a group task while cardiovascular indices of challenge and threat motivational states were measured following the biopsychosocial model (Blascovich & Tomaka, 1996). In Experiment 1, participants recalled their own prior behavior evaluated as immoral or incompetent; in Experiment 2, participants were exposed to an ingroup member’s prior behavior evaluated as immoral or incompetent. As predicted, in both experiments, reminders of immorality induced a state of threat rather than challenge in a novel group context. These results suggest that moral disapproval intended to motivate group members to adapt their behavior might actually be counterproductive.

How boundary spanners wield influence by involving a third person: an exploratory study grounded in social control theory

PurposePower is one of the single most critical concepts for understanding industrial relations management. Yet, despite having been subject to much scholarly attention, existing research often implicitly assumes an organizational level of behavior or examines influence tactics within the confines of an individual-level dyad. This has led to a limited understanding of influence exercises involving a third person. Motivated to advance the understanding of this phenomenon, this study aims to explore how boundary spanners from a buying organization influence supplier representatives by involving a third person.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a longitudinal single case study design grounded in social control theory. Data consist of interviews, observations and documents collected over a period of 27 months in a global sourcing context.FindingsThe findings demonstrate how the influence agent from the buying organization can invoke a third person’s mediated and nonmediated social power base through either direct or indirect social control mechanisms. With these findings, this paper makes a novel theoretical contribution by developing a deeper understanding of underexposed social influence tactics unfolding in individual-level triads.Practical implicationsThis study offers boundary spanning managers with practical insights into subtle and indirect forms of social influence with which they can influence external exchange partners.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to draw on social control theory to examine interpersonal influence tactics in buyer-supplier relationships. By integrating this theoretical perspective with extant research on social power, this study emphasizes the importance of considering how the influence agent mobilizes a third person’s social influence base.

Media Neuroscience on a Shoestring

Abstract: Event-related potentials (ERPs) capture neural responses to media stimuli with a split-second resolution, opening the door to examining how attention modulates the reception process. However, the relatively high cost and difficulty of incorporating ERP methods have prevented broader adoption. This study tested the potential of a new mobile, relatively easy-to-mount, and highly affordable device for electroencephalography (EEG) measurement – the Muse EEG system – combined with a free, open-source platform for ERP recording and analysis. Specifically, we compared ERPs with affective visual stimuli – representative of the kind of engaging content that pervades modern social media. Our results confirm that the Muse system provides robust visual ERPs, highly reliable across two samples. Although there was no difference between ERPs to moderately positive and neutral stimuli in the expected time windows (200–300 ms, 400–600 ms), an exploratory analysis provided some evidence for differential processing of positive versus neutral images at the right temporal sensor site (TP10). Additionally, a compliance-gaining manipulation in participant instructions significantly improved data quality. These results support the use of the Muse EEG system in large-scale studies examining brain responses to screen media. They also suggest an easy social influence tactic that can enhance data quality as communication neuroscience is scaled up. The availability of a mobile EEG system for 250 USD makes it possible to incorporate neuroimaging into various communication paradigms beyond visual communication.

How dark personalities gain workplace influence: A replication and extension

More research is needed on the ways Dark Triad (DT) personality traits (i.e., narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) negatively influence the workplace. This study examines the association of soft and hard social influence tactics with DT traits by conducting a direct replication of Jonason, Slomsky, and Partyka (2012), which used the Dirty Dozen to measure DT traits. We also extended their study by including a contemporary measure of the DT, the Short Dark Triad. We tested our hypotheses that, 1) each DT traits significantly predict at least one of the workplace tactic styles (soft or hard); 2) The gender of participants does not significantly explain the variance in either soft or hard tactics after controlling for the mediating effect of DT composite. Across two studies, the results largely replicated previous conclusions and supported our hypotheses with some notable differences. Machiavellianism was associated with hard tactics, but not soft tactics. Narcissism was associated with both soft and hard tactics. Like Machiavellianism, psychopathy was associated with hard tactics, but not soft tactics, however, individuals high in psychopathy utilized more threats and punishment and less charm than those high in Machiavellianism. We discuss the implications of the observed differences between the two DT measures.

Complaisant or coercive? The role of dominance and prestige in social influence

Research in evolutionary psychology has identified two general strategies – dominance and prestige - used to attain influence and high social rank within groups. Whereas dominance is defined by the use of force to gain social rank, prestige is defined by the display of valued skills and abilities. Although studies have provided insight into the personality traits and motivations that characterize people high in dominance versus prestige, less is known about specific social influence tactics used by people who adopt those strategies. Participants (n = 207) reported on their use of nine social influence tactics, including both complaisant (e.g., building relationships, using reason) and coercive (e.g., punishing or directly coercing others) tactics. Prestige was positively associated with complaisant tactics but negatively associated with coercive tactics. Dominance was positively associated with both coercive tactics and complaisant tactics. This study provides evidence linking the overarching strategies people use to regulate their social rank to specific forms of social influence.

Too Naïve to be Fair: Third-Party Perceptions of Ingratiation Recipients

Flattery is one of the oldest and most commonly used social influence tactics. Existing research characterizes flattery as beneficial for both flatterers, who receive favorable treatment as a result of ingratiation, and recipients, who experience increases in positive affect and self-esteem. However, we suggest that flattery possesses unforeseen costs when observed by others. Across four studies (N=1,137), including a field experiment at an academic conference, we find that observers who witness managers granting favors in response to flattery perceive the managers as unaware and naïve. As a result of their perceived naivete, managers who reward flattery with favors are seen as less competent, fair, and worse overall. Observing favors granted in response to flattery also breeds cynicism from observers about the broader organizations that the managers represent. Finally, we explore the unique role that flattery plays in exacerbating the negative consequences of favor-granting, as well as the differential reputational costs experienced by low and high-power flattery targets. The discussion considers theoretical and practical implications for managers who are frequent targets of flattery and must weigh the costs and benefits of how to respond to ingratiation.

Social influence tactics in e-commerce onboarding: The role of social proof and reciprocity in affecting user registrations

Given the increasing competition to attract new customers, e-commerce providers (i.e., e-tailers) are being urged to optimize their website onboarding journeys. Design mechanisms employing social influence tactics seem to be promising avenues to effectively improve user onboarding experiences. Specifically, two social influence tactics—namely, reciprocity and social proof—are widely used in practice to reliably enhance user registrations. Yet, researchers have only tentatively examined how these combined tactics affect user onboarding behavior. While combining both tactics may hold synergistic potential, it may also be counterproductive, as too much social influence may backfire. We address this research gap by investigating the distinct and joint effects of reciprocity and social proof on user registration behavior. Drawing on two forms of reciprocity (i.e., utility- and monetary-based reciprocity), we conduct an online experiment (N = 249) and a related randomized field experiment (N = 475,495) to compare both reciprocity variants in combination with social proof and investigate their efficacy for actual user onboarding decisions (i.e., user registrations). Our results show that both social influence tactics and both reciprocity variants have positive effects on users' registration behavior if applied individually. However, when both tactics are employed together, the effect of reciprocity is moderated by social proof such that social proof nullifies the effect of monetary-based reciprocity whereas it amplifies the effect of utility-based reciprocity. Our study thereby contributes to a more advanced understanding of the interactive relationship between reciprocity and social proof and their joint effect on user onboarding decisions.

Shyness, self-presentation, adonization, and influence tactics in close relationships

BackgroundEmpirical research reveals the difficulties that shy people must face as part of their social functioning and at-taches a pejorative connotation to shyness in the process of establishing and maintaining interpersonal rela-tions. The purpose of the study was to investigate certain aspects of social functioning of shy people: the pre-ferred self-presentation styles, readiness to adopt adonization and influence tactics in intimate relationships.Participants and procedureThe study was performed on a group of 234 participants (113 females and 121 males), aged 18 to 35 years (M = 24.29). The following questionnaires were used: the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale, the Self-Presentation Questionnaire, the Questionnaire for Measuring the Attitude toward Adonization, and the Influence in Close Relationships between Women and Men Questionnaire.ResultsThe study found that shy people use self-promotion less frequently than non-shy persons and they tend to adopt self-depreciation more often compared to non-shy individuals. Further, a high level of shyness implies a less pronounced tendency to use adonization but a greater readiness to employ hard social influence tactics in close relationships: Threats and violence, Silent treatment and sulking and Complaining and arguing.ConclusionsCorrelations between shyness, self-presentation styles, adonization and influence tactics in close relationships emphasize the role of this disposition in generating social behaviors. Shyness has a negative impact on an individual’s social functioning and relations with other people. The negative consequences of shyness are par-ticularly conspicuous in the behavior of men.

Manipulating user resistance to large-scale information systems through influence tactics

This study examines how influence tactics can be used to manipulate user resistance and subsequent usage behaviors in the context of large-scale, newly implemented information systems (IS). To do so, we integrate the theory of interpersonal influence and leadership, adaptive structuration theory, and the literature on user resistance and behavioral IS theories, and develop a comprehensive theoretical model anchored in (a) social influence tactics, (b) IT artifact perceptions, and (c) user resistance and subsequent behaviors. The resultant theoretical model explains how influence tactics modulate user perceptions, user resistance to the system, and ultimately the unfaithful use of the system. This model is tested in the context of an electronic medical record (EMR) system implementation, with a sample of 442 clinicians who were exposed to various influence tactics and with the use of SEM techniques. The results indicate that certain influence tactics are beneficial in reducing user resistance while others can unintentionally increase resistance. Resistance, in turn, drives adaptive user behaviors in the form of unfaithful use of the system. Thus, it is possible to manipulate resistance and resultant adaptive behaviors through influence tactics, without necessarily altering the IT artifact. This is particularly important, as many off-the-shelf IT artifacts cannot be substantially modified.

An Empirical Study on Reverse Psychology Applied in Advertising Messages

Reverse psychology, also known as psychological reactance, is a social influence tactic that encourages people to act the opposite of what it is suggested. This technique has been applied by marketers in advertising in which a negative message or tagline (e.g., “you don’t buy the product) is used to motivate consumers to make purchase. Psychological reactance theory advocates that reactance occurs when people react to restore a freedom when it is eliminated or threatened to be eliminated. The expected response to an advertising message of not doing something is to do it. An experiment was designed to measure if 52 subjects were comfortable with negative advertising messages yet felt interested in them. Results showed that 49.7% of subjects were interested in these messages, although 76.6% of them were uncomfortable with the negative advertising messages. Results suggested that the application of reverse psychology tactic in advertising enable marketers to create awareness and raise interest of consumers. It is also interesting to find out that 40.8% of subjects were uncomfortable with the messages but showed interest in them. The practical way of using reverse psychology in advertising is discussed at the end of paper with an example for illustration.

“Free to Say No”: Evoking freedom increased compliance in two field experiments

ABSTRACTThe evoking freedom or “but you are free” (BYAF) technique is a social influence tactic that offers recipients the freedom to accept or decline a request. This research tested the effectiveness of the evoking freedom technique in two field experiments. Participants were asked either to complete a survey (Experiment 1) or to allow a stranger to borrow their mobile phone to make a call (Experiment 2) on an urban university campus. Half of the requests involved language that evoked freedom, and half of the requests were direct. In both experiments, results showed significantly greater compliance in the evoking freedom condition. This research extends previous work by demonstrating the effectiveness of the technique using a high-stakes request and in a culture other than that of France, where the majority of evoking freedom studies have been conducted.

An examination of accuracy and bias in perceptions of a partner's motives for health behaviour regulation.

This study assessed accuracy and bias in people's perceptions of their romantic partner's adoption of short-term (avoid conflict) and long-term (later health) motives for interpersonally regulating their health behaviours. A cross-sectional Web-based survey of 114 cohabiting romantic couples (N=228 individuals) living in the United States. Romantic partners separately completed measures of their short-term and long-term motives for self-regulation and partner regulation of health behaviours, as well as their perceptions of partner regulation of their own health behaviours. Dyadic path analyses were conducted using the truth and bias model of judgement. Targets of interpersonal regulation perceived their romantic partner's short-term and long-term motives for influencing their (the target's) health behaviour with significant accuracy. However, targets' perceptions of their partner's motives simultaneously contained about the same amount of projection of the target's own short- and long-term motives for self-regulation. There was no similarity between the target's motives for self-regulation and their partner's motives for interpersonal regulation. Targets also tended to underestimate their partner's long-term motives for interpersonal regulation. Although people are somewhat accurate in their perceptions of their romantic partner's motives for attempting to influence their health behaviours, their perceptions are also contaminated by biases. This suggests that people's judgements about their partner's motives could be substantially improved. Statement of contribution What is known about this subject? Romantic partners use social influence tactics to improve each other's health behaviours. People who perceive their partner's influence attempts positively often make healthy changes. Misperceptions of a partner's motives for influence attempts may have health and relationship implications. What does this study add? People are aware of whether partner influence attempts are motivated by convenience or concern. People also project their own motives for self-regulating health behaviours onto their partner.

Dragons’ Den: Enacting persuasion in reality television

This article aims to cast more light on how persuasive practices in business are enacted for an audience on television by comparing two versions of the television programme Dragons’ Den. The main objective is to examine different interactional features of the programme within a cross-cultural analysis. Drawing on data from the Spanish and UK versions of the programme, the present paper is placed at the intersection between routine and cross-cultural business practices on the one hand and reality based broadcast on the other. The results show that the analysis of the key structural patterns in exerting interpersonal influence makes it possible to measure the impact and effectiveness of specific social influence tactics in entrepreneurial discourse.

Televised Entrepreneurial Discourse: Conversational Structure and Compliance Gaining Strategies

Discourse analysis has focused extensively on argumentative and manipulative discourse. In particular, this present paper considers the different information-processing constraints at play in comprehending elicitations and responses and their role in the persuasive success of arguments. I use both a quantitative and qualitative method to examine in detail the pragma-discursive strategies employed by a panel of English and Spanish business experts in negotiating a business proposal with an entrepreneur in a media driven event. My data suggest that both British and Spanish panels of experts exploit a specific number of social influence tactics, mainly based on the use of elicit: agree, that makes it possible to identify why the interaction is successful. It is further suggested that the study of the basic unit of conversational organisation may throw light on the effectiveness of positioning oneself and others in discourse and show how British and Spanish business experts attempt to exert social influence.

Putting the Mr. Big technique back on trial: a re-examination of probative value and abuse of process through a scientific lens

Purpose– A recent Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) ruling resulted in stricter rules being placed on how police organizations can obtain confessions through a controversial undercover operation, known as the Mr. Big technique. The SCC placed the onus on prosecutors to demonstrate that the probative value of any Mr. Big derived confession outweighs its prejudicial effect, and that the police must refrain from an abuse of process (i.e. avoid overcoming the will of the accused to obtain a confession). The purpose of this paper is to determine whether a consideration of the social influence tactics present in the Mr. Big technique would deem Mr. Big confessions inadmissible.Design/methodology/approach– The social psychological literature related to the compliance and the six main principles of social influence (i.e. reciprocity, consistency, liking, social proof, authority, scarcity) was reviewed. The extent to which these social influence principles are arguably present in Mr. Big operations are discussed.Findings– Mr. Big operations, by their very nature, create unfavourable circumstances for the accused that are rife with psychological pressure to comply and ultimately confess. A consideration by the SCC of the social influence tactics used to elicit confessions – because such tactics sully the circumstances preceding confessions and verge on abuse of process – should lead to all Mr. Big operations being prohibited.Practical implications– Concerns regarding the level of compliance in the Mr. Big technique call into question how Mr. Big operations violate the guidelines set out by the SCC ruling. The findings from the current paper could have a potential impact of the admissibility of Mr. Big confessions, along with continued use of this controversial technique.Originality/value– The current paper represents the first in-depth analysis of the Mr. Big technique through a social psychological lens.

How Do Newly Appointed CEOs Use Influence Tactics to Manage the Leadership Transition Process?

This study examines the effect of newly appointed CEOs using social influence tactics, specifically ingratiation and self-promotion, to manage challenges in the leadership transition process. I ide...

Regain Acceptance from Being Ostracized: Effects of Impression Management and Self-Monitoring

Research on ostracism suggests that being socially excluded can trigger an individual’s desire to belong by using social influence tactics, such as impression management, to regain social acceptanc...

In Pursuit of Success

Ingratiation is one of the most commonly studied social influence tactics that is used by employees to advance their career goals. Research examining predictors of ingratiation has rather shown inconsistent findings. To address these inconsistencies, this study drew on social cognitive theory to investigate the role of political skill as a moderator in the associations between two career-related psychological needs (i.e., need for achievement and need for power) and ingratiation. We tested these associations using independent 150 matched employee–peer dyads from Thailand. Results revealed that self-reported political skill exerted differential moderating effects on the associations among the two career-related psychological needs and peer-rated ingratiation. Whereas the association between need for achievement and ingratiation was positive under high levels of political skill, the association between need for power and ingratiation was positive under low levels of political skill.

Eficacia de tácticas de influencia en la intención de conducta proambiental

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of social influence tactics based on both psychological (commitment/consistency), and cultural principles (identitarian, conspicuous, statutory), for favoring the intention of pro-environmental behavior. An experimental study was conducted using a 2×5 factorial design, where the variables were the type of influence tactics manipulated by discourse in each experimental group and gender. The dependent variable measured the intention of pro-environmental behavior related to reducing waste, wasteful or unnecessary expense of water, gas and electricity at home. The effectiveness of the tactics for favoring the intention of pro-environmental behavior is verified, and significant differences are found between males and females in messages based on principles of coherence and conspicuous consumption.

Pumping their Ego and Popping it Down: How Ingratiation Leads to Social Undermining by Top Managers

In this paper we explain how ingratiation, a fundamental social influence tactic, could ultimately trigger behavior which harms the influence target. While extant theory suggests how ingratiation e...