Influence

Of course, these predictions have invariably proved false. To the acute dismay of the members of such groups, the end has never ...

a place of safety, presumably on another planet. Very little detail was provided about the rescue except that the believers were ...

geance when Dr. Armstrong’s religious activities caused him to be fired from his post on the college health service staff; one e ...

As the time appointed for their departure grew very close, the believ- ers settled into a lull of soundless anticipation. With t ...

most of the group were talking openly about the failure of the escort to come at midnight. The group seemed near dissolution. In ...

All callers were admitted, all questions were answered, attempts were made to proselyte all such visitors. The members’ unpreced ...

world. I can’t afford to doubt. I have to believe. And there isn’t any other truth. Imagine the corner in which Dr. Armstrong an ...

phenomenon called “pluralistic ignorance.” A thorough understanding of the pluralistic ignorance phenomenon helps immeasurably t ...

telephoned the police during the assault; one witness called after the woman was dead. That was two weeks ago today. But Assista ...

violence, another to repressed aggressiveness, but most implicated the “depersonalization” of urban life with its “megalopolitan ...

We can learn, from the way the other witnesses are reacting, whether the event is or is not an emergency. What is easy to forget ...

study conducted in Toronto, single bystanders provided emergency aid 90 percent of the time, whereas such aid occurred in only 1 ...

bystander aid. Without ever having to resort to such sinister concepts as “urban depersonalization” and “megalopolitan alienatio ...

could summon aid, you lost your speech or mobility or consciousness, your chances for assistance and for recovery would plunge d ...

In general, then, your best strategy when in need of emergency help is to reduce the uncertainties of those around you concernin ...

MONKEY ME, MONKEY DO A bit earlier we stated that the principle of social proof, like all other weapons of influence, works bett ...

age American, while the other letters were written in broken English by the first finder, who identified himself as a recently a ...

“Chris, you can swim,” I said excitedly. “You can swim!” “Yes,” he responded casually, “I learned how today.” “This is terrific! ...

cars and planes of our society, the vehicles will be less safe, and, con- sequently, we will see a sharp increase in the number ...

The story of the Werther effect is both chilling and intriguing. More than two centuries ago, the great man of German literature ...