Consumer Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influence

What it measures

Measures two forms of social influence on consumer behaviour: normative influence (purchasing brands to gain social approval or conform to others' expectations) and informational influence (using others' behaviour and opinions as information for one's own decisions). One of the most widely used measures of social influence susceptibility in consumer research.

Response format

Likert (1–6, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

Normative Influence — buying to conform to expectations of others (Likert 1–6, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• I often identify with other people by purchasing the same products and brands they purchase.
• If I want to be like someone, I often try to buy the same brands they buy.
• I achieve a sense of belonging by purchasing the same products and brands that others purchase.
• I frequently gather information from friends or family about a product before I buy.
• I rarely purchase the latest fashion styles until I am sure my friends approve of them.
• It is important that others like the products and brands I buy.
• When buying products, I generally purchase those brands that I think others will approve of.

Informational Influence — using information from others to make better decisions (Likert 1–6, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• I often consult other people to help choose the best alternative available from a product class.
• If I have little experience with a product, I often ask my friends about the product.
• I frequently seek the advice of others when deciding what brand to buy.
• I often seek out the advice of friends to help me choose the best brand available.
• I regularly read product reviews online before making a purchase decision.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Two subscale scores. Score = mean per dimension. Normative influence is higher for publicly consumed, socially visible products; informational influence is higher for complex products and new categories. Widely used in research on reference groups, social media influence, and luxury goods consumption.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Bearden, W.O., Netemeyer, R.G., & Teel, J.E. (1989). Measurement of consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(4), 473–481.

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