We underestimate the extent to which our own behaviors contribute to group norms-e.g., how talking about the solar panels we had installed shapes the rest of the group’s ideas about how normative it is to have solar panels.

For example, we underestimate the extent to which our own presence shapes group discussions-like how group members tune the things they say to match what they know or assume about us. When we observe the interactions and social norms of the groups we are in, we tend to underestimate the role we ourselves play in contributing to those group dynamics. What does your book teach us about group dynamics? Read more about Vanessa Bohns Ph.D.Vanessa, you must be as excited as we are that our books are so close to taking flight.

She is an associate editor at the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, was previously editor of the social influence section of Social and Personality Psychology Compass, and sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Social Cognition. Her popular press and business writing has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. Her research has been published in top academic journals in psychology ( Psychological Science, Current Directions in Psychological Science), social psychology ( Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology), management ( Organization Science, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes), and law ( Yale Law Journal) and has been covered by media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and NPR. Some of her additional research interests include prosocial behavior, perspective-taking, and self-conscious emotions. In particular, she examines the extent to which people recognize the influence they have over others in various interpersonal interactions, including when asking for help, suggesting that someone engage in unethical behavior, and making romantic advances. Her research focuses broadly on social influence and the psychology of compliance and consent. She is the author of the book You Have More Influence Than You Think (2021, Norton). Prior to joining Cornell, she taught at the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo in Canada. in Social Psychology from Columbia University and her AB in Psychology from Brown University.

Vanessa bohns book