Posted on 03/28/2013 3:07:07 PM PDT by longtermmemmory
We humans irrationally think were rational. We think that we decide how to behave by weighing the pros and cons. In reality, the strongest influence on our decisions is the example of the people around us even, oddly enough, when they are imaginary.
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It seems that almost anything you would want to nag people about can be more effectively done by instead telling them how much everyone else is doing the right thing. If you want young people to vote, dont tell them how many people arent voting. Tell them how many are. Safe sex, anyone? Hand washing? School attendance?
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Why isnt this idea more widely used? One reason is that it can be controversial. Telling college students most of you drink moderately is very different than saying dont drink. (Its so different, in fact, that the National Social Norms Institute, with headquarters at the University of Virginia, gets its money from Anheuser Busch a decision that has undercut support for the idea of social norming). The approach angers people who lobby for a strong, unmuddied message of disapproval even though, of course, disapproval doesnt reduce bad behavior, and social norming does.
Cialdini thinks that the idea hasnt caught on more widely because it works underneath our conscious radar. People dont see themselves as easily influenced by those around them, he said. When he asks people what would make them change, they rank what my peers are doing dead last. But when he tests what really works, it comes in first. Following the crowd is primal. You dont have to change the social norm, said Haines. You just have to show people what it is.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com ...
In essence this is by makine everyone a subject of "some say" as the media state.
The medium is the message...
This is actually a very good article that shows how easy it is to manipulate behavior by appealing to peer pressure, whether or not the “peers” really exist.
I think that is what is going on with the msm. They are manufacturing a trend saying EVERYONE (who?) is joining the pro-homo deviants.
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