Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D. Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D. Weapons of Influence

Influence -The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D.



• Weapons of Influence

• Reciprocation

• Commitment and Consistency

• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Introduction

What are the factors that cause a person to say yes to another person?

Which techniques most effectively use these factors to bring about such compliance?

Which psychological principles influence the tendency to comply with a request?

• → Weapons of influence






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Introduction

Research

• Experimental work

Lab experiments

College students

• Observation of compliance professionals

Sales operators

Fund-raisers

Recruiters

Advertisers

Others






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Introduction

Six basic principles

• Reciprocation

• Commitment and consistency

• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Rule of material self-interest

• Most people want to get the most and pay the least

• Very important in driving decisions, also a powerful weapon

• A given factor, deserves acknowledgement but not extensive description






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Ethology → the study of animals in their natural settings

Turkey mothers

• Good mothers: loving, watchful, and protective

• Virtually all this mothering is triggered by one thing: the “cheap-cheap” sound of young turkey chicks

• Stuffed polecat experiment

turkey natural enemy immediately attacked

stuffed polecat with hidden recorder that played the “cheap-cheap” sound → no attack, but also was gathered underneath by mother turkey


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Ethology → the study of animals in their natural settings

Fixed-action patterns

• These responses are common

• They can involve intricate sequences of behavior

Two important things about fixed-action patterns

• Work very well the majority of the time

• Humans also present fixed-action patterns


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Xerox machine experiment(Ellen Langer – Havard social psychologist)

People simply like to have reasons for what they do

Small favor of people waiting in line to use a library copying machine

• 1- “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?”

94% let her skip ahead of them in the line

• 2- “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”

60% of positive response

• 3- “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?”

93% of positive response

the word “because” triggered an automatic compliance response → “because” = “cheap-cheap”


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Automatic, stereotyped behavior

Prevalent in much of human action

• In many cases it is the most efficient form of behaving

• In many other cases it is simply necessary

Extraordinarily complicated stimulus environment, rapidly moving and complex

• We need shortcuts

• We can’t be expected to recognize and analyze all the aspects in each person, event and situation we encounter in even one day

• Not enough time, not enough energy, not enough capacity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Civilization advances by extending the number of operations we can perform without thinking about them

Alfred North Whitehead

(British philosopher)


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Most of us know very little about automatic behavior patterns

They make terrible vulnerable to anyone who does know how they work

Another glance to ethologist’s work → Mimics

• animals that copy the trigger features of other animals to makes them produce the automatic response at the wrong time


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Contrast Principle

Objects’ weight

Evaluation of blind dates

Three pails of water

Real life marketing

• Retail clothiers

sell costly items first

show ugly items first

• Real state


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

The old give and take … and take

The rule says → we would try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us

“much obligated” = “thank you”

There is no human society that does not subscribe to the rule

Web of indebtness → Human society

• lowering of the natural inhibitions against transactions

• systems of aid, gift giving, defense, and trade

• significant competitive advantage


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Social sanction to anyone who violates the rule

• moocher, ingrate, welsher

There is an obligation to give, an obligation to receive, and an obligation to repay

The rule is over powering

The rule enforces uninvited debts

The rule can trigger unfair exchanges


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Mexico and Ethiopia

• 1985 → 5.000 U$S relief donation

• 1935 → Mexico aided Ethiopia when invaded by Italy

Prof. Denis Regan → Art appreciation experiment (coke and raffle tickets)

• coke favor → more success in selling the raffle tickets

• coke favor → individuals bought twice as many tickets

• coke favor response → no relation with liking

• coke U$S 0,10 → average raffle sale U$S 0,50


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Christmas cards to a sample of perfect strangers

The Hare Krishnas’ strategy

• flowers and books gifts

Real life marketing

• Free sample

expose the potential clients to the qualities of the product

but the beauty is that it is also a gift

• Mailings including unsolicited gifts

double the response rates


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Reciprocal Concessions

Consequence of the rule or reciprocation → is an obligation to make a concession to someone who has made a concession to us

• Reasonability

• Good faith

County Youth Counseling experiment

• 1st sample ask them to chaperon a group of juvenile delinquents on a

day trip to the zoo → 17% accepted

• 2nd sample ask them to spend 2 hours per week as a counselor to a

juvenile delinquent for a minimum of 2 years → 100% refused

then, ask them to chaperon a group of juvenile delinquents on a day trip to the zoo → 50% accepted


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Rejection-then-retreat tactic

• People don’t only agree to a desired request

• but actually carry out the request

• and finally to volunteer to perform further requests

Positive by-products

• felling a greater responsibility for, and satisfaction with, the arrangement


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Real life marketing

• Rejection-then-retreat technique Make a larger request/offer

After refuse make a smaller request/offer

Second request/offer does not have to be small it has to be smaller than the initial one

• Retail stores Go up the line from U$S 350 → average sale U$S

550

Go down the line from U$S 3000→ average sale U$S 1000

• Request of referrals after refused sale


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Commitment is the key

The rule says → Once we have made a choice or taken a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment

This will cause us to respond in ways that justify our earlier decision

Even to do things that ordinarily we would not want to do

The person whose beliefs, words, and deeds don’t match may be seen as → indecisive, confused, two-faced, or even mentally ill


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


On the other side, high degree of consistency → associated with personal and intellectual strength, rationality, stability, and honesty

Consistency saves time, and effort, but sometimes it is also a way of avoiding thing we would rather not realize (shield again thought)

Commitment has the potential to influence not only future behavior, but also self-image

Public and written commitments are stronger

The more effort that goes into the commitment, the greater is its power


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Racetrack

• just after placing a bet, people is much more confident of their horse’s chances of winning than they are immediately before laying down that bet

Staged thefts

• onlookers would risk personal harm to halt the crime?

• no commitment → 4 of 20 persons reacted

• commitment → 19 of 20 persons reacted

Prediction of future action

• volunteer as a donation collector of the American Cancer Association → when then actually asked to volunteer 700% increase of positive responses


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Donations

• → “Hello, Mr. Smith. How are you feeling today?”

• → response: “Fine/good/very well”

• → standard solicitation approach

• 90% positive response against 18% with only the standard solicitation approach


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Korean War POWs

• Prisoners Camps essay contests

Public-service billboard – “Drive Carefully”

• 83% refuse

• 76% acceptance

Estimation of the length of a line experiment

Initiation rites


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Real life marketing

• Toy manufacturers

Sales slump after Christmas holiday season

The problem is not in motivating kids to want more toys after Christmas, is in motivating the parents to buy them

– Special toy heavy pre-seasonal advertising

– Kids extract Christmas promises of their parents about the special toy

– They undersupply the special toys

– Parents don’t have no other option → buy a different toy

– After Christmas advertising begins again to remind kids of special toy

– Parents buy special toy to honor their promises


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


Real life marketing

• Industrial markets sale force Start a large purchase by starting by a small one

Purpose is not profit, but commitment

No longer a prospect → a customer

• Establishing and communicating objectives

• Encouraging people to make public statements

• Cooling-off laws → have customers, rather than the salesman, fill out the sales agreement

• Testimonial contests → loyalty

• Lowball → cause prospect to decide


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Truths are us

One means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correct

The greater number of people who find an idea correct, the more the idea will be correct

When we are unsure of ourselves, when the situation is unclear, when uncertainty reigns, we are most likely to look and accept the actions of others as correct

• Pluralistic ignorance: everyone is looking to see what everyone else is doing

• Similarity: social proof operates most powerfully when we observe people just like us


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Truths are us

Laugh Tracks

Bartenders “salt” their tip jars

Children dog phobia

• treatment → watch videos of other kids playing with dogs

Catherine Genovese murder (pluralistic ignorance)

• failure of bystanders to aid a victim

• 38 bystanders – 35 minutes

• better chance of receiving aid if there is only 1 bystander?

Liking smoke experiment

• 75% of lone individuals reported it

• 38% of 3 person groups reported it

• 10% of 3 person groups with 2 syndicated


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Truths are us

Lost wallets

• 33% of return when finder was dissimilar

• 70% of return when finder was similar

Jonestown

Applause

Real life marketing

• Testimonial advertising

• Creating long lines

• Restaurants filling tables


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

The friendly thief

We prefer to say yes to someone we know and like

Compliance factors:

• similarity of opinion, life-style, background, personality traits

• familiarity and contact

• cooperation in shared goals

• physical attractiveness → favorable traits like talent, kindness, honesty, and intelligence

• compliments

• association with positive things (beauty, what’s hip, food)

• success

• smile


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

The friendly thief

Joe Girard

• 5 car sales a day for 12 years

• U$S 200.000 a year

• Secret? “a fair price and someone they liked to buy from”

Real life marketing

• Tupperware parties Reciprocation + Commitment + Social Proof + Liking

• Peer solicitation

• Good cop / bad cop

• Eating together

• Celebrity endorsements


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Follow the expert

We have a deep-seated sense of duty to authority

Tests demonstrate that adults will do extreme things when instructed to do so by an authority figure

Milgram’s experiment

• 60% went all the way

• 0% stopped before 300V


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Follow the expert

Compliance factors:

• Titles

• Uniforms

• Clothes

• Trappings of status

Real life marketing

• Scientific or medical endorsement

• Uniforms

• Hiring authority recognized individuals


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Scarcity

Opportunities seem more valuable to us when their availability is limited

We want it even more when we are in competition for it

Potential loss plays an important role in decision making

Mormon church

• exclusive areas


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Scarcity

In fact, people seem to be more motivated by

• the thought of losing something

• than by the thought of gaining something of equal value

Avoid potential loss vs. Obtain potential savings

Things that are difficult to posses are typically better than those that are easy to posses

As opportunities become less available, we loose freedoms; and we hate to loose freedoms → Psychological reactance


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Scarcity

Psychological reactance

• 24 month old boys

two toys, one behind a Plexiglas

two groups, one the Plexiglas to small to restrict access to the toy, the other group the Plexiglas was tall enough to restrict access to the toy

No restriction → no preference for either toy

Restriction → directly to the toy behind the Plexiglas

• Teenagers

Romeo and Juliet effect


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Scarcity

The scarcity principle applies beyond material commodities → limited information value

Reaction to censorship

• approval or agreement with censored ideas or arguments

Beef importing company

• One control group – standard sales presentation → X sales

• Group #2 - standard sales presentation + information of scarcity in the upcoming months → X sales x 2

• Group #3 - standard sales presentation + information of scarcity in the upcoming months + information was exclusive, not know by everyone → X sales x 6


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Scarcity

Cookies study

• One group to taste a cookie from a jar with 10 cookies

• Other group to taste the same cookie from a jar with 2 cookies – This group rate the cookie

→ more desirable to eat

→ more attractive as a consumer item

→ more costly

• Recent scarcity

• Scarcity because of competition for limited resources


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity






• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Scarcity

Real life marketing

• Time limited offers – Now or never

• Exclusive clients offers

• Exclusive access areas

• Limited quantity offers

• Collector’s issues

• “If I’m not mistaken, it is the last one available”

• “I can make you another visit”


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity


• Reciprocation


• Social Proof

• Liking

• Authority

• Scarcity

Documents

Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D. Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D. Weapons of Influence