Social influence: Self-confidence and prestige determinants

The effects of changing sell-prestige & partner-prestige on successive judgments of ambiguous stimuli are investigated. 1st judgments of a complex, visual pattern were followed by a validating procedure which enhanced self-prestige or partner prestige. A control group was also run. A 2nd-series of judgments were then made of another visual pattern. Statistically signif diff's were obtained between groups for the amount of change in judgments (movement) & relative confidence in the accuracy of self & partner estimates. The partner-prestige group showed the greatest movement & confidence in partner estimating. The signif of the method & implications of the results are discussed. PA.