C056

Susceptibility to Influence

B07 Status & Influence
Core LayerMML-2

Version v1.3.2

Definition

How easily external opinions, authority, group norms, advertising, or pressure shift a person’s beliefs and decisions, especially under uncertainty.

Poles

Each HES element is a spectrum, not a category: the Low and High poles describe how it presents at its two extremes, while the Reference marks the typical, everyday middle. The poles map variation across the range — neither end is inherently better or worse.

Low Pole

Influence resistance: maintains independent judgment even under authority or group pressure.

High Pole

High susceptibility: decisions shift noticeably under authority/group/context pressure.

Reference

Moderate: stable in familiar domains, more suggestible in new and social contexts.

Measure

Decision shift under influence: the difference in choice given the same data, with versus without social/authority pressure.

Measuring Methods

• Controlled vs. “influenced” scenario versions (authority/group added) → delta in decisions.
• Real-world audit: frequency of opinion changes after others’ input.
• Group discussion observation: who changes position quickly and why.

Empirical Anchor

Suggestibility (Gudjonsson, 1984); conformity (Asch, 1956); susceptibility to social influence (Cialdini, 2001).

Notes

• Distinct from trust (C050): one may trust people yet not shift decisions, or shift decisions without trusting.
• Risks at MIN: stubbornness; ignoring corrective feedback.
• Risks at MAX: manipulability, conformity, pressure-driven errors.

Citation

APA

Human Elements System. (2026). Susceptibility to Influence (HES Passport C056, v1.3.2). hestable.com. https://hestable.com/passport/C056

BibTeX

@misc{hes_C056, author = {{Human Elements System}}, title = {{Susceptibility to Influence}}, year = {2026}, note = {HES Passport C056, v1.3.2}, howpublished = {\url{https://hestable.com/passport/C056}} }