Informational social influence and product evaluation

Abstract

Describes a class marketing research project in which 144 undergraduates, in 4 groups, were asked to evaluate a new product. 2 groups of ss were exposed to 16 scaled product evaluations (supposedly from peers). High uniformity and low uniformity conditions were determined by degree of dispersion, and ss expected their evaluations to be visible to others. 2 remaining groups were given no information regarding others' evaluations, and one of these groups expected their evaluations to be visible to others. It was found that ss' subsequent evaluations were significantly influenced by others' ratings, the greatest influence occurring under the high uniformity-visibility condition. There was, however, no significant difference due to ss' expectations that their ratings would be visible to others. Individual differences in interpersonal response orientations were not significantly related to the acceptance of information from others, although the direction of results was in accord with predictions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)