Olson, Lauren

Social influence is sought to distribute information processing for decision-making when data is limited. Undergraduate students selected information with normative or informational wording to supplement a fabricated academic integrity appeal from their university and decided whether to affirm the charge. A novel measure, the Adaptive Scale of Preference for Normative Versus Informational Social Influence (ASPNVISI), was piloted in comparison with a Polish scale of influence preference, individual difference measures in motivation (e.g., Need for Closure), and behavioral measures of influence-seeking. Results did not support the hypotheses that psychological needs would predict behavioral social influence preferences, though Need for Cognition and Need to Belong predicted self-reported preferences. The ASPNVISI was correlated with the existing scale of influence preference, providing support for its continued development. Contrary to the hypothesis, confidence in the decision on a charge of academic dishonesty was not related to selected influence; race and conservatism were related to confidence, and gender to the selections. Next steps include further pilot testing of the ASPNVISI and expansion of the behavioral task.