Social proof
The tendency to look to what other people do when deciding how to act, particularly in unfamiliar situations.
Example
Seeing several solar panels on a street can make the next household more likely to consider them.
The catch
Highlighting how many people still behave badly can backfire by making that behaviour seem normal.
In more depth
Social proof, explained.
Social proof works best when the people shown are similar to the audience and the behaviour is visible. Rooftop panels are easy to see, while insulation or a switched energy tariff stays hidden, which helps explain why some low-carbon choices spread faster than others. Programmes make hidden actions visible through open-home events, street signs and shared local results.
Because it persuades, social proof is open to abuse. EU consumer law treats fake reviews and invented endorsements as unfair practices, and a campaign that inflates participation numbers courts the same trust problem as greenwashing. Social proof shapes behaviour through the social norm it signals, so the signal has to be true.