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Self-competence increases the willingness to pay for social influence
Uri Hertz1, Evangelia Tyropoulou2, Cecilie Traberg3
1Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel. uhertz@cog.haifa.ac.il.
Scientific Reports
|October 21, 2020
Summary
People value social influence intrinsically, often sacrificing monetary rewards to gain or maintain it. This intrinsic motivation for influence is particularly strong when competence is challenged.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Theoretical work suggests social rewards, like influencing others, hold intrinsic value.
- Neuroscientific evidence supports the idea that social influence is highly valued.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if individuals are willing to forgo monetary rewards for social influence.
- To determine the conditions under which people prioritize influence over financial gain.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted with online and lab-based participants.
- Participants competed with a rival for influence over a client.
- Monetary reward was contrasted against the opportunity to increase influence.
Main Results:
- A majority of participants sacrificed financial rewards to enhance their influence.
- Willingness to pay for influence was contingent on current influence levels and performance.
- Participants were most willing to pay to assert competence after ignored advice.
Conclusions:
- Social influence possesses intrinsic value, independent of monetary incentives.
- This study demonstrates a key human motivation where social status outweighs financial gain.
- Findings highlight the psychological premium placed on the ability to affect others' decisions.
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