Editing Social proof (section)

=== Copycat suicides ===
{{further|Copycat suicide#Social proof model}}
Social proof has been proposed as an explanation for [[copycat suicide]], where suicide rates increase following media publication about suicides.<ref name="influence" /> One study using [[agent-based modeling]] showed that copycat suicides are more likely when there are similarities between the person involved in the publicized suicide and the potential copycats.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Mesoudi|first=Alex|author2=Jones, James Holland |title=The Cultural Dynamics of Copycat Suicide|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=4|issue=9|pages=e7252|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0007252|editor1-last=Jones|editor1-first=James Holland|pmid=19789643|pmc=2748702|year=2009|bibcode=2009PLoSO...4.7252M|doi-access=free}}</ref> In addition, research performed by David Phillips between 1947 and 1968 further supports the existence of copycat suicides.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hoffmann-Richter|first1=Ulrike|title=The Werther Effect and Assisted Suicide|journal=Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior|date=Summer 2003|volume=33|issue=2|pages=192–200|doi=10.1521/suli.33.2.192.22768|last2=Schenker|first2=Tanja|last3=Finzen|first3=Asmus|last4=Dittmann|first4=Volker|last5=Kraeuchi|first5=Kurt|last6=Hoffmann-Richter|first6=Ulrike|pmid=12882420}}</ref>