THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION Robert B Cialdini

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION

Robert B Cialdini

Aristotle Persuasion by logic, emotion and character

Central Route – deep thinking –

stable and resistant to competing messages –

rhetoric - logic

Storytelling – transportation

– emotion -empathy

Peripheral Route –

Heuristics character -

sincerity

CICERO

If you wish to persuade me, you mustthink my thoughts, feel my feelings and speak my words.

Persuasion – Preaching to the convertedAudience Analysis

What do they Want and Need to Hear

PASSION

Goal

Attention

Appeal to their emotions to re-

enforce their existing beliefs

UnderstandingBelief

Buy In

Make a logical argument for their

existing beliefs

Tie your arguments to their logical and re-

enforced beliefs

Persuasion – Changing someone’s mindAudience Analysis

What do they Want and Need to Hear

Combine familiarity and surprise – deep

thinking Use emotion to convince them of the new beliefs.

PASSION Audience involvement rhetorical questions –

deep thinking

Goal

AttentionUnderstanding

Belief

Buy In

Who was the most successful American President in the last 50 years?

. I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national

emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.

Reaganomics, Cold WarThe government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a

few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’

Coercion, after all, merely captures man. Freedom captivates him.Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.

Persuasion by logic, emotion and character – can we combine all three?

Central Route – deep thinking –

stable and resistant to competing messages –

rhetoric - logic

Storytelling – transportation

– emotion -empathy

Peripheral Route –

Heuristics character -

sincerity

Character – how we look and sound.Rhetoric – startling arguments - power of threeEmotion – Soaring Oratory and pictures

Reciprocation

Commitment consistency

Social proof

Liking

Authority

Scarcity

SIX PILLARS OF PERSUASION - CIALDINI

RECIPROCATION

In negotiation ask for a big favour they decline, then ask for a smaller favour - they grant it as long as the initial request is not seen as ludicrous.

People who agree with the lesser demand are found to have a greater commitment to the bargain and a greater satisfaction with the deal.

Lyndon Johnson Succeeded – Carter did not

Negotiating a money split UCLAExtreme first demand and stuck

hard

Moderate demand and stuck hard

Extreme first demand and then gradually retreated to the

moderate demand

Produced the best resultFelt more responsibilityFelt more satisfaction and therefore more likely to agree to other requests

Commitment and Consistency1. Racetrack – more confident after you bet – once you commit

you try and act consistently2. Beach experiment – get them to commit and they will risk all3. Friedman and Fraser – 3” sign to 10’ sign Even signing a

petition changed it.4. Our deeds define us even to ourselves.5. Deutsch & Gerard length of lines written down. Written down

and erased and just kept in mind

Commitments are stronger when they are public and effort-full – boot-camps. Once made we see ourselves differently and will act consistent with the new commitment even if the original reason is removed – doghouse approach

SOCIAL PROOFS THE WERTHER EFFECT

DAVID PHILLIPS FOLLOWED PUBLICISED SUICIDES AND FOUND AN ADDITIONAL 58 SUICIDES AFTER EACH ONE AND ADDITIONAL CAR AND PLANE CRASHES

HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHTS PROMPT INCREASES IN

HOMICIDES

LIKING

Attractiveness

Similarity – mirror and match - NLP

Compliments – don’t even have to be accurate

Contact and co-operation – jigsaw schooling

Association

Association

AUTHORITYTHE MILGRAM

STUDY

AUTHORITY TITLE,

CLOTHES,POSTURE JAY WALKING

350% TRAPPINGS

ETC

SCARCITY – PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTANCE WE HATE TO LOSE OUR FREEDOM OF CHOICE

• Terrible twos• Teenage rebellion• Parental interference in love affairs 140 couples• Dade County Florida banned phosphates• Censorship – we value what has been censored• Normal 100% becoming scarce 200% becoming

scarce and not many people know this 600%• Newly scarce more valued than always scarce

Reciprocation

Commitment consistency

Social proof

Liking – attractiveness, similarity, compliments,

co-operation, association.

Authority

Scarcity

SIX PILLARS OF PERSUASION - CIALDINI