Social Techniques Used In The NBC Cockumentary Show, The Office

Anybody who has employed in a professional workplace can relate to many of the social situations featured in the NBC mockumentary show, The Office. While many of the situations in the show tend to lean more towards fiction, the social dynamics of The Office setting provide great examples of social psychology in action. For example, the social psychology of persuasion can be seen all throughout Season 7: Episode 19 “Garage Sale” where the office hosts a garage sale to sell unused items and raise money for their office’s party fund. Most of the persuasion in this episode revolves around two characters Dwight Schrute and Jim Halbert. Dwight is trying to trade-up from a simple thumbtack to the most expensive item at the sale, while Jim is using

As Dwight is bargaining with his coworkers, he notices a packet of seeds next to Jim. Jim quickly tries to hide the packet and he carefully explains to Dwight the origin of the “Miracle Legumes” At first, Dwight laughs at Jim’s elaborate hoax to get him to buy magic beans. However, Jim immediately corrects Dwight and he tells him the legumes are not for sale. This creates perceived trustworthiness because Jim is arguing against his own interest of selling the beans. This also creates the effect of scarcity which can make an item more valuable. This can be easily demonstrated by comparing how much a person would pay for a bottle of water next to water fountain, versus in the middle of the desert. Jim is making these legumes more valuable by making them unavailable to Dwight. Social psychology shows people want, what they can’t have. Later in the episode, Jim outright destroys the magic beans in front of Dwight. Again, this is creating more perceived trustworthiness. Jim’s prank wouldn’t work if he destroyed the item he was secretly persuading Dwight to buy. On the contrary, Jim was planning this display for a much more persuasive tactic later. Finally, near the end of the episode, Dwight is about to walk out with his valuable telescope. Right before he leaves, he sees a packet of “Miracle Legumes” on Jim’s table. Dwight immediately claims that is impossible and Jim agrees stating that “this has to be impossible!” Jim is increasing likeability through two ways, agreeing and mimicking Dwight by also using the word impossible. This was the breaking point, and Dwight traded his telescope of actual value for a packet of