TARGET ARTICLE: Basic Social Influence Is Underestimated

Scholars of various kinds, including some re-nowned social psychologists, have long documentedthe powerful influence that observed social behaviorhas on subsequent social behavior (e.g., Festinger,1954; Le Bon, 1960; MacKay, 1841/1932; Milgram,Bickman, & Berkowitz, 1969). What’s surprising,given the ubiquity and strength of the evidence, is howlittle note people take of this potent form of influenceat three crucial and often-encountered decision points:when, as observers, they decide how to interpret thecauses of their own actions; when, as tacticians, theydecide how to influence the actions of others; andwhen, as experts, they decide whether to seek the inputof others. Let’s take each in turn.