My former boss often warned about the dangers of what Robert B. Cialdini calls the principle of social proof in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (1984). Social proof is the instinct to take cues from others in our immediate environment on what is socially correct and acceptable behavior and beliefs and, more importantly, how we are to interpret what we see around us. Is that person threatening, or just upset? Is a cry for help genuine or play? As Cialdini points out, social proof often gives us correct information. We can go on autopilot rather than having to consider every minor action we might take.
However, it is in expanding social proof from our immediate environment to conclusions about the world, and, for companies, the customer base and potential customer base, that social proof breaks down as a reference point. Marketing departments seem especially prone to this group-think.
As market researchers, we must first be open to the facts we discover, using sound research methodologies, about the populations we study. And then we must discover ways to convey our findings in ways that persuade our managerial colleagues of their validity.
My boss would spend hours considering analogies and thought experiments that would obviate received wisdom and the social proofs when market research findings would challenge them.
So while we as market researchers must thoroughly understand the customers and potential customers we study, we must make a careful study of our clients so that we can convey our research findings in a manner that will make sense to our clients. This is the challenge of optimizing market research inside your company.
