down a hundred dollars on a prerace 10-to-1 shot, making it the early
favorite. The rumors started circulating around the track—people knew
something. Next thing you know, everyone (me included) was betting
on this horse. It ended up running last and had a bad leg. Many people
lost a lot of money. Somebody came out ahead though. We’ll never
know who. But he is the one with all the money. He understood the
theory of social proof.”
Once again we can see that social proof is most powerful for those who
feel unfamiliar or unsure in a specific situation and who, consequently,
must look outside of themselves for evidence of how best to behave
there.
Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D / 125