Influence

• Reference: Festinger 1957 cognitive dissonance theory: we are uncomfortable with our inconsitencies, and take steps to reduce them, even if it means fooling ourselves by telling ourselves irrational stories.

• Definition: When one characteristic of a person dominates how they are view in other respects.
• Insight: Physically attractive people have a significant advantage in social interaction because of the halo effect - we view a positive characteristic and assume that all the character traits of that person must be positive.
• Insight: We are more likely to comply with physically attractive people - compliance and sales professions include grooming and fashion in their training programs.
• Insight: Being the bearer of bad news can create a negative halo or "horns effect", which can negatively impact the way that person is viewed.

Asimov on our response to contests

"All things being equal, you root for your own sex, your own culture, your own locality... and what you want to prove is that you are better than the other person. Whomever you root for represents you; and when he [or she] wins, you win."

- Isaac Asimov

Insight: With sports games and contests, we view ourselves as part of the teams we support, and view the actions of the individuals in the teams as representing us.

• Insight: We are often looking for social cues before we act, but we often fail to realise that everyone else is looking for those social cues before they act too. This can lead to a bystander effect, or maintaining the status quo.
• Example: Emergencies and the bystander effect. In the case of an emergency it is not always obvious what is happening or what actions to take. In times of uncertainty, we tend to look around for social cues about what is happening. We often fail to realise that others are doing the same thing. Seeing that others are failing to act, we might interpret the situation as a nonemergency.