Social influence is a foundational psychological force that shapes how individuals form beliefs, make decisions, and act within every social context. This study examines five primary mechanisms—conformity, compliance, obedience, social proof, and informational influence—and their effectiveness in producing behavioural change. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a structured questionnaire (n = 120), semi-structured interviews (n = 20), and controlled experimental scenarios. Key findings reveal that social media was identified as the dominant influence source by 61.7% of respondents; family remains the most trusted advisor for major decisions (51.1%); and 53.2% of participants changed a belief or behaviour as a result of online discussion. Gender an…
abhishek kumar singh (Thu,) studied this question.