Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Pre-Suasion
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Cialdini, Robert Beno
BIRTHDATE: 4/27/1945
WEBSITE: http://www.robertcialdinibf.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://www.robertcialdinibf.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/BIO-2016.pdf * http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2016/09/06/robert-cialdini-how-to-master-the-art-of-pre-suasion/#24c09477c00e
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born April 27, 1945.
EDUCATION:University of Wisconsin, B.A., 1967; University of North Carolina, Ph.D., 1970; Columbia University, postdoctoral training.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and educator. Arizona State University, Tempe, Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing; president and CEO of Influence at Work. Visiting scholar at colleges, including Ohio State University, Annenberg School of Communications, Stanford University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Robert Cialdini is a writer and educator. He serves as Arizona State University’s Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing. Cialdini has also taught at colleges, including Ohio State University, Annenberg School of Communications, Stanford University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. Cialdini has written several books on influence and persuasion.
Influence and Social Psychology
Perhaps the most popular of Cialdini’s books is Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Various editions of the volume have been released. Cialdini identifies six elements that affect influence, which he calls principles. The first of the principles is reciprocity, or the idea that one owes another something. Next comes scarcity, or the desire for a product or service that may sell out or otherwise become unavailable. The next two principles have to do with how one feels about the person attempting to exert influence and that person’s authority over the person being influenced. Cialdini also highlights the value people place on doing something others are doing. Finally, he emphasizes the power of committing to a decision. Cialdini suggests that if readers harness these six principles, they will be able to successfully influence others.
Thomas Dietz discussed the legacy of Influence in an article in Nature. Dietz suggested: “Influence made the nuances of decision-making accessible to a broad audience, and research in that field has since flourished.” Dietz added: “The influence of Influence will continue as we incorporate ideas that complement the traditional economic view into science and into policy approaches. Cialdini’s legacy is a key starting point for many of us who work on these issues.” “Don’t expect more than an entertaining read on everyday psychology, with perhaps some useful tips on how to say no to salesmen and not feel too bad about it,” remarked a writer on the Eli Bendersky Web site. However, George Ambler, reviewing the book on his self-titled blog, asserted: “This book is very well written and contains numerous examples from research to support each of the principles.” According to a critic on the Changing Minds Web site: “The six principles still give remarkably good coverage and can be seen in use many times every day. This is very highly recommended and essential reading for anyone interested in changing minds.”
Cialdini worked with Douglas T. Kendrick and Steven L. Neuberg to write Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery. In this book, they discuss key discoveries in the study of social psychology. Among the topics they mention are aggression, romantic love, discrimination, persuasion, understanding others, and friendship. A writer in Adolescence noted that the book would be “intellectually appealing to advanced students.”
Yes! and The Small Big
Cialdini collaborated with Noah J. Goldstein and Steve J. Martin to write Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive. The volume includes case studies that reference pop culture figures and television shows. Other topics include Post-its, after-dinner mints, and doctors’ graduation certificates. Reviewing the book in Publishers Weekly, a critic suggested: “This amusing book has equal value and appeal for executives, salespeople–even parents trying to persuade their kids.”
Cialdini, Goldstein, and Martin came together again to write The Small Big: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence. They examine studies in psychology, economics, and neuroscience, boiling down key aspects of influence. Margaret Jaworski, contributor to Success, remarked: “Readers will appreciate the book’s easily adaptable and actionable ideas.” “It will be easy for readers to search through this well-organized book,” asserted a Publishers Weekly writer.
Pre-Suasion
Cialdini is the sole author of the 2016 volume Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. In an interview with Dan Schawbel, contributor to the online version of Forbes, Cialdini compared this volume with his best seller Influence and explained why it took him so long to release another book of which he is the sole author. He stated: “The truth is I never had an idea big enough to compete with Influence. I didn’t want to plant a set of bushes around the tree that is Influence. I wanted to wait until I had a seed for another tree, which finally arrived as Pre-Suasion. As opposed to Influence, which covers what best to build into a message to get agreement, Pre-Suasion describes the process of gaining agreement with a message before it’s been sent. Although that may seem like some form of magic, it’s not. It’s established science.” According to Jenny Cheung, contributor to the Marketing Journal Web site: “Using the same combination of rigorous scientific research and accessibility that made his Influence an iconic bestseller, Cialdini explains how to capitalize on the essential window of time before you deliver an important message.”
“Dense, detailed, readable, and fascinating, this book may cause the reader to wonder whether unbiased decisions are possible,” asserted a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Roger Dooley, critic on the Forbes Web site, commented: “If … you like to dig deeper into the science behind various influence techniques, you’ll appreciate the enormous amount of follow-on material Cialdini provides with Pre-Suasion’s exhaustive references and notes. More than a third of the book’s 413 pages are devoted to these sections.” Dooley continued: “The end matter alone makes Pre-Suasion an essential tool for anyone serious about science-based business strategies. Pre-Suasion is well worth the long wait, and is destined to be an instant classic. The book belongs on the shelf of anyone in business, from the CEO to the newest salesperson.” Writing on the Management Today Web site, Gorkan Ahmetoglu remarked: “The book will be a welcomed and awaited meal for anyone in the industry. It provides a plethora of new persuasion techniques for practitioners to work with—ones that are harder to detect and protect against. Fluffy clouds, irrelevant numbers, background music, sitting position, all may apparently be used as ways to influence us before we even realise someone is attempting to. This is whole different ball game.” Cheung, the contributor to the Marketing Journal Web site, concluded: “This book, like Cialdini’s previous one, is an instant classic and worth reading with elevated attention.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Adolescence, fall, 1999, review of Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery, p. 642.
Nature, November 10, 2011, Thomas Dietz, review of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, p. 176.
New Zealand Management, February, 2008, Ellen Read, review of Yes!: 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion, p. 24.
Publishers Weekly, April 14, 2008, review of Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, p. 48; July 7, 2014, review of The Small Big: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence, p. 60; June 27, 2016, review of Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, p. 74.
Small Press Bookwatch, September, 2008, review of Influence.
Success, June, 2011, Deborah Huso, review of Influence, p. 87; September, 2014, Margaret Jaworski, review of The Small Big, p. 77.
ONLINE
Changing Minds, http://changingminds.org/ (February 24, 2017), review of Influence.
Eli Bendersky Blog, http://eli.thegreenplace.net/ (December 16, 2009), review of Influence.
Forbes Online, http://www.forbes.com/ (September 1, 2016), Roger Dooley, review of Pre-Suasion; (September 6, 2016), Dan Schawbel, author interview.
George Ambler Blog, http://www.georgeambler.com/ (September 5, 2012), George Ambler, review of Influence.
Influence at Work Web site, https://www.influenceatwork.com (March 15, 2017), author profile.
Management Today Online, http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/ (October 27, 2016), Gorkan Ahmetoglu, review of Pre-Suasion.
Marketing Journal Online, http://www.marketingjournal.org/ (October 16, 2016), Jenny Cheung, review of Pre-Suasion.
Robert Cialdini Home Page, http://www.robert.cialdinibf.com (March 15, 2017).
LC control no.: n 83159410
Descriptive conventions:
rda
Personal name heading:
Cialdini, Robert B.
Variant(s): Chʻialdini, Robŏtʻŭ B.
Birth date: 19450427
Found in: His Influence--how and why people agree to things, 1984:
t.p. (Robert B. Cialdini, Ph. D., Dept. of Psychology,
Arizona State Univ.)
His Influence, c1985: CIP t.p. (Robert B. Cialdini) data
sheet (b. 4/27/45)
Sŏltŭk ŭi simnihak, 2002: t.p. (Robŏtʻŭ
Chʻialdini)
Social psychology, 2014: eCIP t.p. (Robert B. Cialdini,
Arizona State University)
================================================================================
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AUTHORITIES
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540
Questions? Contact: ils@loc.gov
Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.
His books including, Influence: Science & Practice, are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests. Influence has sold over 3 million copies in over 30 languages and is a New York Times Bestseller.
His new book, Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, published by Simon & Schuster, quickly became a Wall Street Journal and a New York Times Bestseller.
Because of the world-wide recognition of Dr. Cialdini’s cutting edge scientific research and his ethical business and policy applications, he is frequently regarded as the “Godfather of influence.”
Dr. Cialdini received his Ph.D from the University of North Carolina and post doctoral training from Columbia University. He has held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Currently, Dr Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
Larry King meeting with Dr. Robert CialdiniDr. Cialdini is CEO and President of INFLUENCE AT WORK; focusing on ethical influence training, corporate keynote programs, and the CMCT (Cialdini Method Certified Trainer) program.
Dr. Cialdini’s clients include such organizations as Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Bayer, Coca Cola, KPMG, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Nationwide Insurance, Pfizer, AAA, Northern Trust, IBM, Prudential, The Mayo Clinic, GlaxoSmithKline, Harvard University – Kennedy School, The Weather Channel, the United States Department of Justice, and NATO.
CV: http://www.robertcialdinibf.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/BIO-2016.pdf
QUOTED: "The truth is I never had an idea big enough to compete with Influence. I didn’t want to plant a set of bushes around the tree that is Influence. I wanted to wait until I had a seed for another tree, which finally arrived as Pre-Suasion. As opposed to Influence, which covers what best to build into a message to get agreement, Pre-suasion describes the process of gaining agreement with a message before it’s been sent. Although that may seem like some form of magic, it’s not. It’s established science."
Sep 6, 2016 @ 12:00 PM 8,877 views
The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets
Robert Cialdini: How To Master The Art Of 'Pre-Suasion'
Dan Schawbel ,
Contributor
I interview business leaders, celebrities and authors.
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Credit: Influence at Work
Credit: Influence at Work
I spoke to Robert Cialdini, author of Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, about why he wrote this book after over thirty years, how pre-suasian is so important when persuading others, how to better influence your managers to get a promotion and his best career advice.
Cialdini is recognized worldwide for his inspired field research on the psychology of influence. He is a New York Times bestselling author. His books, including Influence, have sold more than three million copies in thirty-three languages. Dr. Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University and the president and CEO of Influence at Work, an international company that provides keynotes and influence training on how to use the lessons in Dr. Cialdini’s books ethically and effectively.
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Dan Schawbel: Why did you decide to write this book over thirty years after your classic bestseller "Influence"? What's different in this book compared to your earlier one?
Robert Cialdini: The truth is I never had an idea big enough to compete with Influence. I didn’t want to plant a set of bushes around the tree that is Influence. I wanted to wait until I had a seed for another tree, which finally arrived as Pre-Suasion. As opposed to Influence, which covers what best to build into a message to get agreement, Pre-suasion describes the process of gaining agreement with a message before it’s been sent. Although that may seem like some form of magic, it’s not. It’s established science.
Schawbel: What is the key moment before a message is delivered and why is it so important to persuading others?
Cialdini: That key moment is the one that allows a communicator to create a state of mind in recipients that is consistent with the forthcoming message. It’s the moment in which we can arrange for others to be attuned to our message before they encounter it. That step is crucial for maximizing desired change. For example, in one study, when researchers approached individuals and asked for help with a marketing survey, only 29% agreed to participate. But, if the researchers approached a second sample of individuals and preceded that request with a simple, pre-suasive question, “Do you consider yourself a helpful person?” now 77.3% volunteered. Why? When asked before the request if they were helpful, nearly everyone answered yes. Then, when the request occurred, most agreed to participate in order to be consistent with the recently activated idea of themselves as helpful people.
Schawbel: How can people in the workplace better persuade their managers to give them a promotion?
Cialdini: I assume that, if they have to convince their superior, there is uncertainty to be overcome. The research is very clear on this point: when people are uncertain, they are more motivated to avoid losses than to obtain gains. In fact, the idea won the Nobel Prize in Economics for Daniel Kahneman a few years ago. Therefore, I recommend that when asking for a promotion, we begin making our case not by describing the benefits to the organization that would be gained by moving us into a position of greater responsibility but, rather, the benefits to the organization that would be lost or missed if this didn’t occur. The same rule applies to persuading people outside of our organization of the value of what we have to offer. The Bose Corporation’s campaign for their new Bose Wave Music System was initially unsuccessful because customers were uncertain about this new product. When Bose added five words to the top of their ads, sales jumped significantly. The five words? “Hear what you’ve been missing.”
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Schawbel: What are your top three pieces of career advice?
Cialdini:
1. When interviewing for a new job in front of an evaluator or team of evaluators, after saying that you want to answer all questions as fully as possible, say one more thing: “But, before we start, I wonder if you could answer a question for me. Why did you invite me to interview today?” As a consequence, your evaluators will hear themselves saying positive things about you and your qualifications, putting themselves in a state of mind that is favorable to your candidacy before you make your case for it. I have an acquaintance who swears he has gotten three better jobs in a row by employing this pre-suasive technique.
2. Don’t have a favorite influence approach that you use characteristically. I have a friend who is a Marketing professor and who set out the find the single most effective tactic of influence, the one that would work across the greatest number of settings and audiences. I saw him at a conference not long after he ended his search, and he told me, “Bob, I found it: The single best influence approach is not to have a single best influence approach.” I couldn’t agree more. Each situation has to be treated differently, depending on which approach is most suited to the circumstances.
3. Ask your boss for advice concerning your planned work, not for opinions or expectations regarding it. It turns out that evaluators who are asked to provide advice (versus opinions or expectations) on a plan are put in a cooperative state of mind before they even experience the plan, which makes them more favorable to it when they then do encounter it. There’s a saying, “When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.” I’d only add on the basis of scientific evidence that, if we get that advice, we usually get that accomplice. And what better abettor to have on a project than someone in charge?
Dan Schawbel is a keynote speaker and the New York Times bestselling author of Promote Yourself and Me 2.0. Subscribe to his free newsletter.
Harvard Business Review lists Dr. Cialdini’s research in “Breakthrough Ideas for Today’s Business Agenda.” Influence has been listed on the “New York Times Business Best Seller List.”
Fortune Magazine lists Influence in their “75 Smartest Business Books.” CEO Read lists Influence in their “100 Best Business Books of All Time.”
Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.
His books including, Influence, are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests. Influence has sold over 3 million copies, is a New York Times Bestseller and has been published in over 30 languages. His co-authored books include Yes! and The Small Big. His newest book, Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, is the result of many years of scientific research combined with Cialdini’s engaging style to make each chapter memorable and meaningful. It will be released on September 6th, 2016.
Because of the world-wide recognition of Dr. Cialdini’s cutting edge scientific research and his ethical business and policy applications, he is frequently regarded as the “Godfather of influence.”
Dr. Cialdini received his Ph.D from the University of North Carolina and post doctoral training from Columbia University. He has held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Currently, Dr Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
Dr. Cialdini is CEO and President of INFLUENCE AT WORK; focusing on ethical influence training, corporate keynote programs, and the CMCT (Cialdini Method Certified Trainer) program.
Dr. Cialdini’s clients include such organizations as Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Bayer, Coca Cola, KPMG, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Nationwide Insurance, Pfizer, AAA, Northern Trust, IBM, Prudential, The Mayo Clinic, GlaxoSmithKline, Harvard University – Kennedy School, The Weather Channel, the United States Department of Justice, and NATO.
Dr. Cialdini’s Biography
Dr. Robert CialdiniHarvard Business Review lists Dr. Cialdini’s research in “Breakthrough Ideas for Today’s Business Agenda.” He is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Best-Selling author.
Fortune Magazine lists Influence in their “75 Smartest Business Books.” CEO Read lists Influence in their “100 Best Business Books of All Time.”
WATCH VIDEOS
Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.
His books including, Influence: Science & Practice, are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests. Influence has sold over 3 million copies in over 30 languages and is a New York Times Bestseller.
His new book, Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, published by Simon & Schuster, quickly became a Wall Street Journal and a New York Times Bestseller.
Because of the world-wide recognition of Dr. Cialdini’s cutting edge scientific research and his ethical business and policy applications, he is frequently regarded as the “Godfather of influence.”
Dr. Cialdini received his Ph.D from the University of North Carolina and post doctoral training from Columbia University. He has held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Currently, Dr Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
Dr. Cialdini is CEO and President of INFLUENCE AT WORK; focusing on ethical influence training, corporate keynote programs, and the CMCT (Cialdini Method Certified Trainer) program.
Dr. Robert Cialdini discusses the principles of persuasion with Larry King.Dr. Cialdini’s clients include such organizations as Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Bayer, Coca Cola, KPMG, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Nationwide Insurance, Pfizer, AAA, Northern Trust, IBM, Prudential, The Mayo Clinic, GlaxoSmithKline, Harvard University – Kennedy School, The Weather Channel, the United States Department of Justice, and NATO.
Robert Cialdini
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Cialdini
RCialdini.jpg
Born April 27, 1945 (age 71)
Occupation Psychologist, Author, Speaker, Professor
Robert Beno Cialdini (born April 27, 1945) is the Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University and was a visiting professor of marketing, business and psychology at Stanford University, as well as at the University of California at Santa Cruz.[1][2] He is best known for his 1984 book on persuasion and marketing, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. The book has sold over three million copies and has been translated into thirty languages.[3] It has been listed on the New York Times Best Seller list; additionally, Fortune lists the book in their "75 Smartest Business Books".[4]
One of Cialdini's other books, Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, was a New York Times Bestseller; and another of his books, The Small BIG: Small changes that spark a big influence, was a Times Book of the year.[5] Cialdini's most-recent book is Pre-suasion, which was published in 2016.
Contents
1 Education
2 Theory of influence
2.1 Six key principles of influence
2.2 The Seventh Principle of Influence
3 Selected publications
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Education
Dr. Cialdini received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in June 1967. He then went on to Graduate studies in Social Psychology at the University of North Carolina and earned his Ph.D. in June 1970 and received Postgraduate training in Social Psychology at Columbia University. He has held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Currently, Dr. Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.[6]
Theory of influence
Cialdini's theory of influence is based on six key principles: reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, authority, liking, scarcity.[7]
Six key principles of influence
Reciprocity – People tend to return a favor, thus the pervasiveness of free samples in marketing. In his conferences, he often uses the example of Ethiopia providing thousands of dollars in humanitarian aid to Mexico just after the 1985 earthquake, despite Ethiopia suffering from a crippling famine and civil war at the time. Ethiopia had been reciprocating for the diplomatic support Mexico provided when Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935. The good cop/bad cop strategy is also based on this principle.
Commitment and Consistency – If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment because of establishing that idea or goal as being congruent with their self-image. Even if the original incentive or motivation is removed after they have already agreed, they will continue to honor the agreement. Cialdini notes Chinese brainwashing of American prisoners of war to rewrite their self-image and gain automatic unenforced compliance. Another example is children being made to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance each morning.
Social Proof – People will do things that they see other people are doing. For example, in one experiment, one or more confederates would look up into the sky; bystanders would then look up into the sky to see what they were seeing. At one point this experiment aborted, as so many people were looking up that they stopped traffic. See conformity, and the Asch conformity experiments.
Authority – People will tend to obey authority figures, even if they are asked to perform objectionable acts. Cialdini cites incidents such as the Milgram experiments in the early 1960s and the My Lai massacre.
Liking – People are easily persuaded by other people that they like. Cialdini cites the marketing of Tupperware in what might now be called viral marketing. People were more likely to buy if they liked the person selling it to them. Some of the many biases favoring more attractive people are discussed. See physical attractiveness stereotype.
Scarcity – Perceived scarcity will generate demand. For example, saying offers are available for a "limited time only" encourages sales.
His 1984 book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, was based on three "undercover" years applying for and training at used car dealerships, fund-raising organizations, and telemarketing firms to observe real-life situations of persuasion. It has been mentioned in 50 Psychology Classics.[8][9]
The Seventh Principle of Influence
Recently, Cialdini discovered a seventh principle that was previously overlooked. He called this seventh principle: the unity principle. The principle is about shared identities. The more we identify ourselves with others, the more we are influenced by these others.[10]
Selected publications
Pre-suasion, Simon & Schuster, 2016.
Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive. Authors: Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin and Robert B. Cialdini. Simon and Schuster, 2008, ISBN 978-1-4165-7096-7.
Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 978-0-205-60999-4.
Cialdini, R. B. (1984). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (ISBN 0-688-12816-5). Also published as the textbook Influence: Science and Practice (ISBN 0-321-01147-3).
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Deborah Huso
(June 2011): p87.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 R & L Publishing, Ltd. (dba SUCCESS Media)
http://www.successmagazine.com/
by Robert B. Cialdini
HarperCollins, 2007
Whether you want to understand how to influence people or how not to be influenced so easily by others, you'll want to add Influence to your reading list. Robert Cialdini shows readers how to gain compliance from customers, business associates, friends and family by appealing to the "shortcuts" we create in our brains for easy decision-making.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Noteworthy Quote:
* "Those who don't know how to get people to say yes soon fall away; those who do, stay and flourish."
A couple things you'll learn from this book:
* Written commitments are more effective than oral commitments.
* Consistency and the desire to appear consistent can be powerful motives.
Huso, Deborah
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Huso, Deborah. "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion." Success, June 2011, p. 87. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA257218644&it=r&asid=02eac86ccc93a8352043b26bb3187e1b. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A257218644
Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion
Ellen Read
55.1 (Feb. 2008): p24.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 Mediaweb Ltd.
http://www.management.co.nz/
YES! 50 SECRETS FROM THE SCIENCE OF PERSUASION NOAH J GOLDSTEIN, STEVE J MARTIN AND ROBERT B CIALDINI * PROFILE BOOKS * RRP $32.99
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Because. That's what it all comes down to apparently. It's probably bad form to give away secrets in a review--but the thing which interested me most about this book was the challenge to come up with the one word which apparently increases your persuasiveness by over 50 percent. Yes, most people in the office thought it would be "please" (which I guess some would say just means we are rude, as that should always be included as a matter of form). But it is "because" which makes sense really--it's just that we hadn't thought of it. Which is pretty much how this book operates: it seems to point out the obvious but in a way which makes you go "oh, that makes sense". Not bad at all.
Read, Ellen
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Read, Ellen. "Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion." New Zealand Management, Feb. 2008, p. 24. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA175109960&it=r&asid=70d84c3106e24b1de2077960865e27bc. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A175109960
BOOKCASE : Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion
Ellen Read
(Feb. 2008): p24.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 Mediaweb Ltd.
http://www.management.co.nz/
Byline: Ellen Read
Noah J Goldstein, Steve J Martin and Robert B Cialdini * Profile Books * RRP $32.99
Because. That's what it all comes down to apparently. It's probably bad form to give away secrets in a review - but the thing which interested me most about this book was the challenge to come up with the one word which apparently increases your persuasiveness by over 50 percent. Yes, most people in the office thought it would be "please" (which I guess some would say just means we are rude, as that should always be included as a matter of form). But it is "because" which makes sense really - it's just that we hadn't thought of it. Which is pretty much how this book operates: it seems to point out the obvious but in a way which makes you go "oh, that makes sense". Not bad at all.
Ellen Read
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Read, Ellen. "BOOKCASE : Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion." New Zealand Management, Feb. 2008, p. 24. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA193038089&it=r&asid=221b80d2fc2966a4a364cad2cc694cc2. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "Influence made the nuances of decision-making accessible to a broad audience, and research in that field has since flourished."
"The influence of Influence will continue as we incorporate ideas that complement the traditional economic view into science and into policy approaches. Cialdini's legacy is a key starting point for many of us who work on these issues."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A193038089
The art of influence: Thomas Dietz reassesses Robert Cialdini's revolutionary treatise on the science of decision-making
Thomas Dietz
479.7372 (Nov. 10, 2011): p176.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Nature Publishing Group
http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
ROBERT B. CIALDINI
First published 1984.
Revised edition Harper: 2006. 336 pp. $17.99, 10.99 [pounds sterling]
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
We make decisions based on narrow self-interest, calculated benefits, costs and risks. Or so claimed economist Adam Smith, whose 'rational actor model, from his 1776 opus The Wealth of Nations, has long dominated thinking in economics and social science. By the late twentieth century, Smith's view had been applied to every domain of human decision-making, from marriage to international negotiations. But a growing body of evidence began to indicate that the model was often misleading.
Robert Cialdini's 1984 book Influence moved scientific thinking forward by showing that decision-making was messy. Whereas Smith's concept was logical and easy to describe mathematically, Cialdini grasped that decision-making is so complex that no single model can capture it. Analysing the literature on how we make decisions, he offered a picture that is more than a survey of specific research results, yet not quite an overarching unitary theory. The resulting treatise led Cialdini to become one of the most cited social psychologists; his books have sold more than two million copies.
Cialdini saw that Smith's model of rational decision-makers, immune to any influence other than information, was simplistic. In reality, we are bombarded by efforts to persuade us to make decisions that serve the persuader's interests. If we make decisions based on pure logic, why would companies spend billions on advertising? Why would salespeople do more than list prices and options? Why would politicians focus so intently on symbolic messages?
These groups use our decision-making vulnerabilities as a fulcrum. Most people, most of the time, use shortcuts to choose between options--including being swayed by emotions, symbols and norms. This saves time and effort, and Cialdini argued that the shortcuts usually serve us well. But they can lead us badly astray, especially when manipulated by unscrupulous agents. Influence was intended to be a remedy against such manipulation which Cialdini called the "real treachery, and the thing we cannot tolerate'.
Cialdini articulated six "weapons of influence"--shortcuts that can be manipulated to shape our decisions. These comprise our tendency to reciprocate small favours with larger ones; to stick with commitments and be consistent; to believe what others believe; to go along with what is suggested by those we like; to believe in authority; and to value things that seem scarce. For example, salespeople often start with a desirable offer to get a commitment, then throw in something for free to invoke reciprocity. They will look for clues about the hobbies and interests of customers (to seem likeable) and emphasize the popularity and scarcity of a product to make it seem more desirable.
Cialdini's use of the terms "weapons" and "treachery" reflects his belief that people and communities can suffer when salespeople, multinational corporations or governments work to shape our choices to their advantage. The power and authenticity of Cialdini's book comes in large part from the fieldwork that complements the experimental evidence. He engaged with salespeople, recruiters, marketing people, staff at consumer agencies and others whose jobs are to persuade us or to uncover abuses of persuasion. He even went on sales-training courses to learn how our vulnerabilities can be exploited. These anecdotes make for an engaging read while underlining that persuasive ability is a form of power, often used in destructive ways.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Influence made the nuances of decision-making accessible to a broad audience, and research in that field has since flourished. Neologisms such as 'behavioural economics' and 'neuro-economics' attest to the growing acceptance that the rational actor model is insufficient to describe how we make choices. Four Nobel prizes in economics (to Herbert Simon, Daniel Kahneman, Vernon Smith and Elinor Ostrom, Smith being the sole economist) have been awarded for work that, similar to Cialdini's, pushes beyond that model.
Mainstream policy analysis still relies heavily on the assumption of a rational decision-maker, but social psychology is starting to affect how policies are designed. In the 2008 book Nudge (very much a descendant of Influence), authors Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein argue that insights from the social sciences--such as our strong tendency to choose the default option no matter what it is--can be used to encourage better decisions.
Thaler and Sunstein call for "libertarian paternalism", an approach in which everyone should be free to make choices, but which uses the principles of social psychology to push us towards options that are in our best interests. Their optimistic tone contrasts with Cialdini's concern with the effects of "compliance professionals", who design sales and marketing campaigns and who manipulate us against our own interests. But the scientific core is much the same.
Social psychologists are showing that, to address environmental problems--including huge challenges such as climate change--we will have to acknowledge that humanity does not always behave rationally. This is easy to see: households and organizations waste far more energy and emit far more greenhouse gases than they would if they were strictly rational, for example.
Understanding how individuals and organizations make decisions can suggest ways to close this energy-efficiency gap and significantly reduce emissions, as well as how to handle other environmental issues effectively. The influence of Influence will continue as we incorporate ideas that complement the traditional economic view into science and into policy approaches. Cialdini's legacy is a key starting point for many of us who work on these issues.
Thomas Dietz is professor of sociology and of environmental science and policy at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
Dietz, Thomas
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Dietz, Thomas. "The art of influence: Thomas Dietz reassesses Robert Cialdini's revolutionary treatise on the science of decision-making." Nature, vol. 479, no. 7372, 2011, p. 176. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA273195044&it=r&asid=232325a663f9bb7b8a4e766b5e7765cc. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "intellectually appealing to advanced students."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A273195044
Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery
34.135 (Fall 1999): p642.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1999 Libra Publishers, Inc.
KENRICK, Douglas T., NEUBERG, Steven L., & CIALDINI, Robert B. Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. 648pp. (h).
The authors arrange the findings of the field of social psychology into a patterned whole. To this end, they use the recurrent themes of goal orientation and person-situation interactions to organize each chapter: introduction to social psychology; the person in the situation; social cognition--understanding ourselves and others; presenting the self; persuasion; social influence; affiliation and friendship; love and romantic relationships; prosocial behavior; aggression; prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination; groups; global social dilemmas; and integrating social psychology. Presenting the field in an organized structure should not only make it more intellectually appealing to advanced students, but should, by capitalizing on a basic principle of learning and memory, make the diverse facts and figures easier to grasp and remember for students at all levels.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery." Adolescence, vol. 34, no. 135, 1999, p. 642. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA60302550&it=r&asid=f4982ecaf8615c5a311202cb2c60aaf8. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A60302550
Influence
(Sept. 2008):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Influence
Robert B. Cialdini
Pearson
c/o Jane Wesman Public Relations
322 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1702, New York, NY 10001
9780205609994, $21.99, www.pearsonhighered.com
What lets some people be listened to while others are completely ignored--despite saying essentially the same thing? "Influence: Science in Practice" has sold over a million and a half copies is an examination of the concept of Influence and its effect in the world of business. The new and improved fifth edition adds more supportive anecdotes, the effect of popular culture, technological advances, and cultural issues that appear. Now in a newly updated and expanded fifth edition, "Influence" is a must for anyone who wants to be heard in the world of business.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Influence." Small Press Bookwatch, Sept. 2008. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA184801284&it=r&asid=af02bfd54416ad76df0c4f4c4bf02d8f. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "Dense, detailed, readable, and fascinating, this book may cause the reader to wonder whether unbiased decisions are possible."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A184801284
Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade
263.26 (June 27, 2016): p74.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade
Robert Cialdini. Simon & Schuster, $28 (432p) ISBN 978-1-5011-0979-9
The first solo book in over three decades by psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Cialdini (Influence) is sure to be an important contribution to the fields of social psychology and behavioral economics. According to the author, the most successful persuaders prime their audiences for their message. One of his central points is that "what we present first changes the way people experience what we present to them next." This book "identifies what savvy communicators do" and explains how general readers can do the same. Based on Cialdini's research, decisions tend to be made based not on the factor "that counsels most wisely" but "the one that has been elevated in attention." Topics include the best sales techniques, the problem of false confessions, the role of embedded journalists in the Iraq war, and how Warren Buffet establishes trustworthiness in his annual Berkshire Hathaway newsletter. Dense, detailed, readable, and fascinating, this book may cause the reader to wonder whether unbiased decisions are possible. Voluminous and entertaining endnotes, as well as an initial annotated summary of each chapter, increase accessibility.
(Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade." Publishers Weekly, 27 June 2016, p. 74. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA456900944&it=r&asid=ce41fe78bbfb7936aa931409bf1bc8f0. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "Readers will appreciate the book's easily adaptable and actionable ideas."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A456900944
The Small Big
Margaret Jaworski
(Sept. 2014): p77.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 R & L Publishing, Ltd. (dba SUCCESS Media)
http://www.successmagazine.com/
The Small Big
Small Changes that Spark Big Influence
by Steve J. Martin, Noah J. Goldstein and Robert B. Cialdini
September
Business Pius; $28
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
What simple "small big" can get you the help you need? (Just ask.) What "small big" can make the difference when it comes to negotiation? (Make the first offer.) What "small big" should you add to your recipe for employee productivity? (The opportunity to see, hear or read about the human impact of their work.) Little tweaks in how you present an idea, structure a negotiation and even craft an email can have a significant impact on the outcome.
Why do small changes produce big results? Because small changes "fly under the radar" and are more easily accepted, according to the authors, all renowned experts in the science and art of persuasion. In keeping with their small-is-better theme, the authors wisely don't overwhelm readers. The 52 chapters, each covering one suggested shift, are short, but provide plenty of research and anecdotes to back up the authors' suggested variations in approach and content. Readers will appreciate the book's easily adaptable and actionable ideas.
Jaworski, Margaret
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Jaworski, Margaret. "The Small Big." Success, Sept. 2014, p. 77. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA379315560&it=r&asid=35a0561aba53076631661ee4810c320d. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "It will be easy for readers to search through this well-organized book."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A379315560
The Small Big: Small Changes that Spark Big Influence
261.27 (July 7, 2014): p60.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
The Small Big: Small Changes that Spark Big Influence
Steve J. Martin, Noah J. Goldstein, and Robert B. Cialdini. Hachette/Business Plus, $28 (288p) ISBN 978-1-4555-8425-3
Martin, Goldstein, and Cialdini, leading thinkers from the field of persuasion science, reveal that when it comes to influencing others to change their behavior, the smallest changes often prompt the biggest differences--what they call a "small big." Seeking to show businesses how to "influence and persuade others in effective and ethical ways," the authors identify more than 50 minor changes (presented as case studies) that can be put into practice immediately. They also discuss findings from the fields of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, social psychology, and behavioral economics, which are highlighted in short chapters that show how to apply these ideas in different contexts. Chapters center on wide-ranging and useful topics such as name-changing, successful decision making, reducing people's tendency to procrastinate, showing appreciation, and negotiating with business partners via email. It will be easy for readers to search through this well-organized book for ideas most relevant to their needs. While it's impossible to know how well these ideas will play out in the real world, they certainly seem innovative on the page. (Sept.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Small Big: Small Changes that Spark Big Influence." Publishers Weekly, 7 July 2014, p. 60+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA374694590&it=r&asid=aec4dcabd18c532a45e0347686ef22e4. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "This amusing book has equal value and appeal for executives, salespeople-even parents trying to persuade their kids."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A374694590
Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
255.15 (Apr. 14, 2008): p48.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin and Robert B. Cialdini. Free Press, $25 (272p) ISBN 978--1-4165-7096-7
Goldstein, Martin and Cialdini meld social psychology, pop culture and field research to demonstrate how the subtle addition, subtraction or substitution of a word, phrase, symbol or gesture can significantly influence consumer behavior. Interspersing references to Britney Spears, the Smurfs and Sex and the City with more academic concepts such as "loss aversion" and the "scarcity principle/' the authors illustrate the simple and surprising approaches that can hone a company's marketing strategies. Witty chapters detail the allure of the yellow Post-it, the tip-garnering capabilities of an after-dinner mint, how highlighting a product's weaknesses can increase its appeal, the powerful role of third-party testimonials, how doctors can convince patients to adopt healthier choices by prominently displaying academic credentials in their offices, and how mirroring another person's gestures can elicit a more generous response by strengthening a perceived bond. While written primarily for a marketing audience, this amusing book has equal value and appeal for executives, salespeople-even parents trying to persuade their kids to do homework. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive." Publishers Weekly, 14 Apr. 2008, p. 48+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA178218556&it=r&asid=9271af1d5bb2da9db2ca01cb2636cef6. Accessed 24 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A178218556
QUOTED: "If ... you like to dig deeper into the science behind various influence techniques, you’ll appreciate the enormous amount of follow-on material Cialdini provides with Pre-Suasion's exhaustive references and notes. More than a third of the book’s 413 pages are devoted to these sections."
"The end matter alone makes Pre-Suasion an essential tool for anyone serious about science-based business strategies. Pre-Suasion is well worth the long wait, and is destined to be an instant classic. The book belongs on the shelf of anyone in business, from the CEO to the newest salesperson."
Sep 1, 2016 @ 07:24 AM 9,942 views
The Little Black Book of Billionaire Secrets
Robert Cialdini's 'Pre-Suasion' Extends The Science Of Persuasion
Roger Dooley ,
Contributor
I make marketing better with brain & behavior research
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Sometimes, you have to wait a long time for a sequel to a classic book. Fifty-five years after To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman was released. Occasionally, you never see a sequel at all. In the half-century that followed the 1951 release of The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger failed to deliver his readers another novel.
By any measure, Dr. Robert Cialdini’s Influence is a business classic. Since first publication more than 30 years ago, it has sold more than three million copies and been translated into 30 languages. The book brought science to the art of persuasion, and set out the famed Six Principles of Influence. Today, social proof, reciprocation, authority, and the rest of Cialdini's principles are familiar to almost everyone in marketing and sales.
Now, Cialdini has published his sequel to Influence. Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, extends the science of persuasion in several important ways.
Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini
Image: Roger Dooley
Notably, Pre-Suasion adds the dimension of time to the influence process. Reciprocation, for example, is a simple concept – if you do something for me first with no conditions attached, I’m more likely to do something you want me to. The tacit presumption has been that the “debt” the first action creates is carried forward until “repaid” by a return favor.
Cialdini uses a personal example to show the effect of timing. He planned to use a semester at another university to work on this very book. With no major commitments in his role there, he knew he could block out plenty of time for research and writing.
Prior to departing, though, he received a call from the dean of the school he’d be visiting. The dean described the wonderful office Cialdini would be working from, the new computer, the staff support he’d receive, and so on. Everything sounded marvelous, even better than expected.
Then, the second shoe dropped. The dean explained that one of their professors had been sidelined by illness. Would Cialdini mind teaching just one graduate business class? He agreed, even though he knew that now a big part of his time at the school would be taken up by preparing a brand-new course, teaching it, and working with students. The book project would have to wait.
At first glance, that seems like classic reciprocation. The dean presented Cialdini with unexpectedly favorable accommodations for his stay at the university, and attached no strings. Hence, when Cialdini was asked to teach a class, he was more likely to agree than he would have been otherwise – straight out of the Influence playbook.
But when Cialdini reflected on his rapid acquiescence, he realized something else was at work. When I spoke with Cialdini about this experience, he explained:
I wound up agreeing to teach this course because he asked me in the moment after I said how much I appreciated what he had done for me. If he had called me a day later, I think I could have marshalled the ability to say, “Well, you know, I have a book that I need to write. I can't really do it.” But not in that moment. There was something about the moment before he delivered his message that made me say yes.
The key factor this sequence illuminated for Cialdini was timing. In the short span of the phone call, Cialdini was “pre-suaded” by the generous favor and ended up agreeing to something he would have declined under other circumstances. According to Cialdini, more formal research supports this anecdote: the most powerful reciprocation effect is immediately after the favor. As time passes, its potency declines.
Cialdini cites other pre-suasion techniques that have been shown to work. In Holland, residents were asked to complete a long survey and told they would receive a cash reward. The appeal produced a higher response rate when the residents were given the gift in advance, even though they could have kept it and ignored the survey.
Similarly, U.S. hotel guests were 47% more likely to reuse their towels if they were told the hotel had already made a contribution in their name to an environmental charity than if the contribution occurred only after re-use actually happened.
Scientists like John Bargh, Dan Ariely, and others have demonstrated the power of priming. By exposing people to various stimuli, their subsequent behavior is changed. Often, the stimuli are so subtle that the subjects are entirely unaware they were primed.
In Pre-Suasion, Cialdini marries the priming concept with classic persuasion. For instance, social proof is one of the most commonly applied of his original six principles. Telling people about the large number of others like them who enjoy your product is almost always effective.
But, social proof can sometimes backfire depending on the mindset of the individual. Cialdini describes one experiment that had subjects watch either a scary movie or a romantic one before seeing an ad to promote museum attendance.
Even though neither movie was related to museums, which one the subjects watched changed their receptivity to the persuasive message they saw immediately afterwards.
“Visited by over a million people each year,” a classic example of social proof, worked very well to boost the favorability of the museum among subjects who saw the scary film. The same message, though, actually had a negative effect on the romantically-primed subjects.
For the romantic movie watchers, “Stand out from the crowd” messaging was far more effective.
The mindset change caused by the movies was almost certainly short-lived, though, another example of the importance of time.
A New Principle Of Persuasion
Perhaps the biggest surprise in Pre-Suasion is that Cialdini acknowledges a seventh principle exists. He calls it “unity,” meaning a shared identity. This shared identity can be with family, with others from a similar background or location, and even with a product one helped create.
At first glance, unity seems similar to Cialdini’s long-established “liking” principle, which depends on shared attributes. He distinguishes unity from liking by pointing out that unity is more fundamental. It’s not just, “they are like me,” but rather, “they are of me.”
Family ties are the ultimate form of unity. Cialdini describes an experiment in which parent participation in a survey increased from less than 20% to 97% when an inconsequential benefit for their student was at stake.
He also extends family-based unity to the language one chooses. Cialdini cites Warren Buffett's letter to shareholders about Berkshire-Hathaway's succession plan. What will happen to the firm in a post-Buffett, post-Munger era is of great interest to shareholders. When Buffett addressed the issue head-on in one of his famous annual letters, he could have used his normal plain-spoken, direct style.
In fact, Buffett did something to invoke unity with his readers. He wrote, "I will tell you what I would say to my family today if they asked me about Berkshire's future." By putting the message in the context of advising family members, it becomes more persuasive than it would be otherwise. Cialdini notes that this annual letter was considered Buffett's best one ever by many shareholders and analysts.
If, like me, you like to dig deeper into the science behind various influence techniques, you’ll appreciate the enormous amount of follow-on material Cialdini provides with Pre-Suasion's exhaustive references and notes. More than a third of the book’s 413 pages are devoted to these sections.
The references are the traditional end notes that let you find the research paper or other source material that supports the text. The “notes” are quite different. Cialdini calls them his “color commentary.” Not only does he refer to still more related content and academic work, he highlights these notes with his own informal commentary and occasional anecdotes.
The end matter alone makes Pre-Suasion an essential tool for anyone serious about science-based business strategies.
Pre-Suasion is well worth the long wait, and is destined to be an instant classic. The book belongs on the shelf of anyone in business, from the CEO to the newest salesperson.
Roger Dooley is the author of Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing.
QUOTED: "The book will be a welcomed and awaited meal for anyone in the industry. It provides a plethora of new persuasion techniques for practitioners to work with - ones that are harder to detect and protect against. Fluffy clouds, irrelevant numbers, background music, sitting position, all may apparently be used as ways to influence us before we even realise someone is attempting to. This is whole different ball game."
Robert Cialdini: The master of persuasion returns (with a new book)
Cialdini's stranger-than-fiction insights should make this book another sure-fire bestseller - despite the fact it's not quite up to the standard of his first.
by Dr Gorkan Ahmetoglu
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Published: 27 Oct 2016
Last Updated: 27 Oct 2016
Any time I hear anyone mentioning influencing skills or persuasion, it seems to be followed by the name Cialdini. It's been many years since I read Influence (his notorious bestseller). I've since been teaching it to students, used it in my talks, and based a lot of my research around it.
Cialdini is no doubt the godfather of persuasion, and I wouldn't be surprised if Pre-Suasion causes another revolution in the influence arena. Having said that, I think it is more like Godfather 3: a 'must-see' (read), but not quite as good as the first (or second).
This book demonstrates how trivial and seemingly irrelevant signals, presented at a critical moment, can be used as powerful weapons to subconsciously influence people.
And there are three reasons why it is likely to be a success. First, the mere fact that Cialdini has written another book on persuasion is likely to get the crowds whispering (if not shouting). I don't think there were many disappointed customers among the three million who bought 'the original'. And the word of mouth probably stretches far beyond this number.
Second, it does have the crucial ingredient of a bestseller: it is mind-blowing. Had it not been for the real case studies and scientific experiments presented, readers may have mistaken Cialdini for a crazy scientist with wacky ideas bordering on insanity. We learn that our productivity can be increased by seeing a picture of a runner winning a race, our liking of someone else can be determined by whether we are holding a warm or a cold drink, and our company's stock market performance is related to whether it has a pronounceable name or not. Like captivating science fiction novels, nothing is what it seems and you can forget what you know about your actions and choices. The difference is, this isn't fiction.
Third, the book will be a welcomed and awaited meal for anyone in the industry. It provides a plethora of new persuasion techniques for practitioners to work with - ones that are harder to detect and protect against. Fluffy clouds, irrelevant numbers, background music, sitting position, all may apparently be used as ways to influence us before we even realise someone is attempting to. This is whole different ball game. Cialdini even has a section warning against the unethical use of these techniques, which function at the subconscious level.
While this sounds like the road to 1984, I don't think we will need to call for security any time soon. This sequel hasn't quite lived up to its forerunner. One reason for the success of Influence was the simplicity in understanding and remembering the message: six universal principles. I don't think the same can be said about this book. The central message that attention is important, can be manipulated by simple cues in the environment, and has a momentous impact on behaviour, gets blurred in an amalgam of case studies and experiments, which sometimes seem to contradict each other. Cialdini argues for the importance of focal attention and provides us with tools to get it: sex, violence and novelty. Advertisers spend millions on it. Yet priming - slight changes in wording, colour, sounds or pictures - seems to 'work' without requiring focal attention. This complicates the message.
There has also been doubt about the robustness of some priming results among academics, due to failures in replicating the effects. I myself am a 'general believer' (in Daniel Kahneman's words) in priming effects, but believe that the questions about context are crucial. I was once giving a talk to exhibitors on the importance of 'primes', like colours, sounds, and numbers, when an audience member asked what colour he should use for his stall when selling his ice-cream brand. Here's the issue: I could have said 'blue' or 'red' and they would both be equally defensible (blue because it is congruent with cold ice-cream, and red because it is more likely to grab attention). And without context, I wouldn't be confident that either would have an effect. The problem with what Cialdini calls 'privileged moments' is knowing which cue works in which situations, and whether another competing cue (of all the potential hundreds or thousands) wouldn't be more dominant.
Godfather 3 wasn't as good as 1 or 2. But it did well. I similarly think that despite its imperfections, Pre-Suasion will be a big hit. Who isn't interested in improving their influencing skills (including persuading oneself)? It will certainly become the sequel that advertisers, publicists, fundraisers, marketers and politicians do buy. The only way one could really be disappointed is if one was expecting Godfather 2 rather than 3.
Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert Cialdini is published by Simon & Schuster, £18.99
Dr Gorkan Ahmetoglu is lecturer of business psychology at University College London
Read more at http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/robert-cialdini-master-persuasion-returns-with-new-book/your-career/article/1411782#6BuWImP68yvaQ91q.99
QUOTED: "Using the same combination of rigorous scientific research and accessibility that made his Influence an iconic bestseller, Cialdini explains how to capitalize on the essential window of time before you deliver an important message."
"This book, like Cialdini’s previous one, is an instant classic and worth reading with elevated attention."
OOK REVIEW: “PRE-SUASION: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade” by Robert Cialdini
0 Comment October 16, 2016
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In 1984 Robert Cialdini published Influence – his classic work on persuasion. Influence gave us the now famous six principles that govern the science of influence:
Reciprocity: The obligation to give back.
Social Proof: The power of consensus, doing what we feel others are also doing.
Liking: The obligations of friendship, or of being swayed by people you like.
Consistency: Need for personal alignment.
Authority: We follow those we view as experts.
Scarcity: We want what may not be available.
presuasionNow, after 30 years, Professor Cialdini presents the public with a new book: Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade.
Timing is Everything
What separates good communicators from truly successful persuaders?
Using the same combination of rigorous scientific research and accessibility that made his Influence an iconic bestseller, Cialdini explains how to capitalize on the essential window of time before you deliver an important message.
This “privileged moment for change” prepares people to be receptive to a message before they experience it. Optimal persuasion is achieved only through optimal pre-suasion. In other words, to change “minds” a pre-suader must also change “states of mind.”
Elevated Attention
Altering a listener’s attitudes, beliefs, or experiences isn’t necessary, says Cialdini—all that’s required is for a communicator to redirect the audience’s focus of attention before a relevant action. This is an important point that should also raise eyebrows: the factor most likely to determine a person’s choice in a situation is often not the one that offers the most accurate or useful counsel; instead, it is the one that has been elevated in attention (and thereby in privilege) at the moment of decision.
How does one channel attention?
Here’s a fascinating example from the book – filling out surveys.
The prevailing problem for consumer research organizations is that the public (us) can’t be bothered to participate in their surveys, focus groups, and taste tests. Even with sizable inducements in the form of cash payments, free products, or gift certificates, the percentage of people agreeing to cooperate can be low. Could these researchers eliminate their problem by requesting consumer information in the moment following a pre-suasive question?
The short answer is a spectacular yes – with response rates rising from 29 percent to 77.3 percent. How? Without resorting to any of the costly payments that marketers often feel forced to employ, they began the interaction with a pre-suasive opener: “Do you consider yourself a helpful person?” Following brief reflection, nearly everyone answered yes. And, in that privileged moment-after subjects had confirmed privately and affirmed publicly their helpful natures-the researchers pounced, requesting help with their survey. 77.3 percent volunteered.
This principle of “elevated attention” also determines who wins elections. According to this view, in an election, whichever political party is seen by voters to have the superior stance on the issue highest on the media’s agenda at the moment will likely win. The media does influence opinion.
A case study:
In the summer of 2000, a pipe bomb exploded at the main train station in Diisseldorf, Germany, injuring several Eastern European immigrants. Although no proof was everfound, officials suspected from the start that a fringe right-wing groupwith an anti-immigrant agenda was responsible. A sensational aspect of the story-one of the victims not only lost a leg in the blast but also the baby in her womb-stimulated a rash of news stories in the following month regarding right-wing extremism in Germany. Polls taken at the same time showed that the percentage of Germans who rated right wing extremism as the most important issue facing their country spiked from near zero to 35 percent – a percentage that sank back to near zero again as related news reports disappeared in subsequent months.
We have the tendency to assign undue levels of importance to an idea as soon as attention is turned on it. If elevated attention provides pre-suasive leverage, are there any features of information that automatically invite such attention and therefore don’t even require a communicator’s special efforts? Cialdini points to three naturally occurring commanders of attention: the sexual, the threatening, and the different. The communicator who can fasten an audience’s focus onto the favorable elements of an argument raises the chance that the argument will go unchallenged by opposing points of view, which get locked out of the attentional environment as a consequence. Certain kinds of information have the power to combine initial pulling power with staying power: the self-relevant, the unfinished, and the mysterious.
Language, Imagery and the Geography of Influence
Both language and imagery can be used to produce desirable outcomes such as greater job performance, more positive personnel evaluations, and – in one noteworthy instance – the release of prisoners kidnapped by the Afghan Taliban:
In July 2007 the Afghan Taliban kidnapped twenty-one South Korean church-sponsored aid workers, holding them hostage and killing two as a savage initial show of will. Talks designed to free the remaining nineteen went so badly that the kidnappers named the next two hostages they planned to murder, prompting the head of the South Korean National Intelligence Service, Kim Man-bok, to fly in to try to salvage the negotiations. He brought a plan. It was to connect the South Korean bargaining team to something central to the group identity of the militants: their language. Upon his arrival, Kim replaced his head negotiator, whose appeals had been transmitted through an Afghan translator, with a South Korean representative who spoke fluent Pashtun.
According to Kim, who won the hostages’ swift release, “The key in the negotiations was language.” However, it was not because of any greater precision or lucidity of the verbal exchanges involved but because of something more primitive and pre-suasive. “When our counterparts saw that our negotiator was speaking their language, Pashtun, they developed a kind of strong intimacy with us, and so the talks went well.”
There is also a geography of influence. Just as words and images can prompt certain associations favorable to change, so can places. Thus, it becomes possible to send ourselves in desired directions by locating to physical and psychological environments prefitted with cues associated with our relevant goals. It’s also possible for influencers to achieve their goals by shifting others to environments with supportive cues. For instance, young women do better on science, math, and leadership tasks if assigned to rooms with cues (photos, for example) of women known to have mastered the tasks. So those posters in classrooms do, in fact, make a difference!
The 7th principle of influence: Unity
Cialdini reveals an additional universal principle of influence: unity.
There is a certain type of unity-of identity– that best characterizes a We relationship and that, if pre-suasively raised to consciousness, leads to more acceptance, cooperation, liking, help, trust, and, consequently, assent. One way to build We relationships is by presenting cues of genetic commonality associated with family and place – genealogy and geography. We relationships can also result from acting together synchronously or collaboratively. When people act in unitary ways, they become unitized; and when such activity is arranged pre-suasively, it produces mutual liking and support. This principle explains greater helping among strangers, cooperation among teammates, self-sacrifice among children, friendship among school children,love among college students, and loyalty between consumers and brands.
But is it Ethical?
Those using a pre-suasive approach must decide what to present immediately before their message. But they also have to make an even earlier decision: whether, on ethical grounds, to employ such an approach.
Cialdini sees that communicators from commercial organizations place profit above ethics in their appeals. Thus, there is reason to worry that the pre-suasive practices described in this book will be used unethically. The professor argues against unethical use, offering data from studies indicating that such tactics undermine organizational profits in three powerful ways. Companies that are unethical will suffer the consequences through 1) poor employee performance, 2) high employee turnover, and 3) employee fraud and malfeasance. Those who live by the sword, etc. etc.. I’m not sure these arguments will stop unethical people from being unethical. Perhaps this is why we will increasingly need stronger consumer protection laws to prevent psychological manipulation. That is a question left to governance and democracy, but companies should be acutely aware of the potential for abuse.
This book, like Cialdini’s previous one, is an instant classic and worth reading with elevated attention.
Jenny Cheung is a freelance marketer and project manager based in Texas.
QUOTED: "Don't expect more than an entertaining read on everyday psychology, with perhaps some useful tips on how to say no to salesmen and not feel too bad about it."
Book review: "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini
December 16, 2009 at 18:53 Tags Book reviews
Cialdini is a professor of Marketing and Psychology, and in this book he attempts to show how the marketers use psychological methods to trick people into doing things they didn't originally plan doing. He lists the six "weapons of influence":
Reciprocation
Commitment and Consistency
Social proof
Liking
Authority
Scarcity
Each approach is described in detail, with many examples and interesting case studies done by professional psychologists. These studies sometimes give entirely unexpected results that help highlight aspects of human nature. The techniques the author talks about also resonate well with my experience of encounters with salesmen and people trying to persuade me to buy something / donate / participate or whatever. That said, although this book is pretty good, it is unfortunately not what I expected. This shows the danger of judging the book by its back cover, which in this case says:
[...] explains the psychology of why people say yes - and how to apply these understandings. [...] You'll learn [...] how to use them to become a skipped persuader, and how to defend yourself against them.
Alas, the book mainly focuses on the last part of the quote above - how to defend yourself against tricks attempted on you by skilled salesmen. Because unless you're into marketing yourself, I doubt that you'll want to use these techniques - the author openly defines them as con acts carefully designed to trick people into doing things they don't really want to do. Judging by the quotes above I expected a modern version of Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people", but Cialdini's book just goes in an entirely different direction. This is not to say that it's bad. As I noted above, it's a pretty interesting book. But it helps to know what to expect from it. If you're a salesman, it's probably a must. Otherwise, don't expect more than an entertaining read on everyday psychology, with perhaps some useful tips on how to say no to salesmen and not feel too bad about it.
QUOTED: "This book is very well written and contains numerous examples from research to support each of the principles."
Book Review: Influence – The Psychology of Persuasion
By George Ambler, September 5, 2012
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The book Influence: Science and Practice written by Robert B. Cialdini, who received his graduate and postgraduate training in persuasion and social influence from the University of North Carolina and Columbia University. The book shows how much of human behaviour is automatic, as we go through life we develop “rules of thumb” as shortcuts to decision-making, these shortcuts can be used to influence others. An example shortcut occurs when we assume that if something is expensive then it’s of good quality. These rules of thumb work for us the majority of the time. Drawing from research in the field of social psychology, this book explores six “rules of thumb” or principles of persuasion and how they can beused to persuade and influence others.
The Six Principles of Influence
The book explores in detail the following six principles of influence.
Reciprocation. The rule of reciprocation states that we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us. Research shows that there is no human society that does not subscribe to the rule. Trigger by uninvited favours. This rule results in the lowering of the natural inhibitions against transactions.
Commitment and Consistency. This principle is triggered by our obsessive desire to be (and appear) consistent with what we have already done. The drive to be (and look) consistent constitutes a highly potent weapon of social influence, often causing us to act in ways that are clearly contrary to our own best interests. Once we have made a personal choice or taken a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment.
Social Proof. One means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correct. The principle applies especially to the way we decide what constitutes correct behaviour. We view a behaviour as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.
Liking. Few people would be surprised to learn that, as a rule, we most prefer to say yes to the requests of someone we know and like.
Authority. It is the extreme willingness of adults to go to almost any lengths on the command of an authority that is the focus of this principle. We are trained from birth that obedience to proper authority is right and proper. Information from a recognized authority can provide us a valuable shortcut for deciding how to act in a situation.
Scarcity. Opportunities seem more valuable to us when their availability is limited. The idea of potential loss play a large role in human decision-making. People seem to be more motivated by the thought of losing something than by the thought of gaining something of equal value. We know that the things that are difficult to possess are typically better than those that are easy to possess, we can often use an item’s availability to help us quickly and correctly decide on its quality.
This book is very well written and contains numerous examples from research to support each of the principles. I was constantly kept interested and intrigued by the examples and anecdotes, extracted from research, found extensively throughout the book. As I read, I was able to continually relate the principles and examples to experiences in my life, providing numerous “A-HA” moments along the way. The book does give some practical examples, which illustrates how the principles are applied. I recommend this book to anyone in management, leadership, marketing, consulting or in roles.
QUOTED: "the six principles still give remarkably good coverage and can be seen in use many times every day. This is very highly recommended and essential reading for anyone interested in changing minds."
Influence
Book reviews > Influence
Cialdini, R.B. (1994). Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, NY: Quill
This is the million-seller persuasion classic, first published in 1984 that is probably more widely referenced than any other book in the field.
Cialdini describes six principles of influence that are now widely espoused by many others.
Reciprocity: If I do something for you then you must do what I ask of you.
Scarcity: If I can't have it, I want it (as in retail 'sales').
Liking: If you like me then you are more likely to do what I ask of you.
Authority: If you look and act like somebody in authority then I will obey you.
Social proof: If we do not know what to do we look to other people.
Commitment/consistency: If I say something I will likely act in a way consistent with that commitment.
The nice thing about the book is not just the critical principles that it espouses, but also that it is highly readable. Cialdini took jobs such as waiting table in order to study the 'pros' in the field, for example finding that waiters use different methods with different people in order to maximize the tip they will receive. He also uses well-known examples, such as the Kitty Genovese murder, to illustrate how the principles appear in practice.
It is difficult to criticize this book, not because it is a classic but because it is such a delightful and easy read. With clear language and interesting examples throughout, it is relevant for many different disciplines.
The trap in reading any established text is in assuming that it is completely definitive, with its methods applying universally and that all other methods are irrelevant. Of course this is not true and Cialdini himself continues to research and write in the area. Nevertheless, the six principles still give remarkably good coverage and can be seen in use many times every day.
This is very highly recommended and essential reading for anyone interested in changing minds.
Buy Me
Robert B. Cialdini, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Revised edition), Quill, NY, 1994
Originally published in 1984, this is an absolute classic on influence and persuasion. Cialdini identifies six key principles by which we are heavily influenced: Reciprocation, commitment/consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity. Highly readable and academically sound.