Influence

1 About this book

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, first published in 1984, is a book by Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology at Arizona State University, about why people say yes. His premise is that, faced with more information than they can weigh, people rely on mental shortcuts that usually serve them well, and that salespeople, fundraisers, advertisers and other "compliance professionals" know how to trigger those shortcuts. He organizes the subject around six principles: reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority and scarcity. Each has a chapter of experiments and real-world examples, with advice on how to recognize the tactic and resist it. Recent editions add a seventh principle, unity.

• Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.)
• Persuasion (Psychology)
• Psychology
• Personal growth
• Theory
• History & research
• Self-help
• Communication