The book influence: the psychology of persuasion 5th edition is authored by a psychology and marketing professor Robert B. Cialdini. It is an incorporation of his research work in applied psychology, marketing and practical rhetoric. Cialdini in his book talks about the psychological tactics that are used by the compliance practitioners such as card dealers, waiters, salesmen and fund raisers to influence the people to accepting something that they would ideally not accept. This book is a research work from sales jobs where he came up with the six weapons of influence.
According to the author, the weapons of influence that the sales people use consists of identifying a permanent action pattern in the people and exploiting them. This is what the compliance practitioners use to influence their subjects (Cialdini 15). In the book, the author demonstrated the fixed action patterns using a mother turkey which recognizes its babies by the “cheap cheap” sound that the babies make. Thus, anything that can produce that sound would be related in a motherly manner, even if it does not physically resemble a turkey. These according to the author are automatic fixed a pattern actions that helps to make our life easy, but can also be exploited to dupe us. Because these point of actions makes us act without thinking. This is because the human is able to perceive things that are presented differently one after the other but not those in isolation. The author indicates that showing a less expensive product before a more expensive one makes, the less expensive look even more expensive. Thus, the sellers usually start with the most expensive one, then release the least expensive.
The reciprocation rule according to the author is a powerful tool used by compliance. For instance, a free sample is able to engage a person to a reciprocation rule (Cialdini 15). The reciprocal recession as explained by the author also indicates that it is easier to sell down than to sell up. This means that advertising the most expensive products first.
Commitment and consistency is another rule where the choice or stand people take exerts an interpersonal pressure which forces them to behave consistently. Thus agreeing to small requests may appear normal, but may also be exploited. Therefore, even an external reward may also exert external pressure to remain consistent.
Social proof is another rule presented by the author as it indicated that people view some behaviors as correct depending on the situation. The children learn more about their abilities from their peers than the adults do.
Liking rule is another weapon which is caused by the physical attractiveness, similarity, compliments, contacts and association with a product or sales person. Authority is another rule by the author, which indicates that people obey the authority without thinking (Cialdini 44). This is because people see an order of authority in isolation instead of as a whole situation. The last rule presented by the author is the scarcity rule. This indicates that people have a tendency of wanting to replace what they have lost with a similar product. Enforcing discipline inconsistently often leads to rebellious kids.
Work cited
Cialdini, Robert, B. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. 1984.
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