ABSTRACT
Cialdini (1993) hypothesized and garnered substantial evidence for the notion that six psychological principles underlie most social influence attempts. The relative efficacy of these principles in mass-mediated influences has not previously been examined. The present study tested the impact of three of these six principles on Polish consumers’ reactions to an advertised product. The principles of social proof, authority, and scarcity were manipulated in advertisements designed to persuade consumers to buy a new product. As hypothesized, the effectiveness of the principles varied depending on the consumers’ demographic and psychological characteristics. Among the three principles, the scarcity principle proved to be particularly effective. The results are viewed in terms of individualism/collectivism and the scarcity economy in Poland ‘s recent history. The practical implications of these findings for future advertising campaigns are discussed.
