Social influence is the act of leading a person or group of people to do something that, initially, they were unaware of and/or did not intend to do. In psychology (especially social psychology), sociology, and anthropology, social influence is one of the foundations that dialectically defines our behaviors; that is, it shapes our behaviors and is shaped by our responses in return. Its importance in defining our behavior is estimated to be between 30 and 90%, depending on the definition used. It often subconsciously defines, for example, what clothes we will wear, what behaviors are appropriate in a given environment, what we should and should not do during a developmental phase, and directly and indirectly influences the laws of a nation. According to behavioral psychology or behaviorism, the main mechanisms of this shaping are reinforcement and punishment, being more effective depending on the assertiveness and rhetoric of the influencing agent. For example, a friend might mediate behaviors in another friend with whom they have empathy by smiling and praising when the friend performs a behavior they consider pleasant and desirable, and becoming angry and criticizing behaviors they consider unpleasant and undesirable. Category: Social Psychology