Social influence is a fundamental aspect of human interaction that affects how individuals or groups shape the thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours of others. In the digital age, social media has emerged as a powerful platform for social influence, where individuals, organizations, and groups can affect public opinion, consumer behaviour, and even political outcomes on a global scale. Understanding the mechanisms of social influence in this context is crucial for marketers, policymakers, and everyday users seeking to navigate the digital landscape.
Social influence refers to the way individuals’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are affected by others. It can manifest in various forms, such as conformity, compliance, and obedience, and operates across interpersonal, group, and societal levels. For example, individuals may conform to social norms to gain acceptance or obey authority figures despite personal misgivings. In the context of social media, social influence is particularly potent due to the scale, speed, and reach of online interactions.
One infamous example of the power of social influence is the use of social media by extremist groups like ISIS for recruitment. Their propaganda strategies leverage social feedback mechanisms such as likes, shares, and comments to spread their message and identify potential followers (Speckhard et al., 2020).
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