Ep. 38: How We Misunderstand Influence and Consent with Vanessa Bohns, Cornell University

Do we recognize our influence on others? Vanessa Bohn's research suggests we underestimate it. This episode she and Chris discuss social influence and the psychology of compliance and consent. Issues around consent and compliance arise in our romantic relationships, work life and interactions with law enforcement, to name a few, and we're not always consciously aware when they're in play. Vanessa Bohns is an associate professor in the Department of Organizational Behavior at Cornell University, Her research focuses broadly on social influence and the psychology of compliance and consent. In particular, she examines the extent to which people recognize the influence they have over others in various interpersonal interactions, including when asking for help, encouraging one’s peers to engage in questionable behaviors and making romantic advances. Some of her additional research interests include prosocial behavior, perspective-taking and self-conscious emotions. Doing Translational Research is produced by Carrie Chalmers.