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
Peripheral
Route –
Heuristics
character sincerity
Storytelling –
transportation
– emotion empathy
CICERO
If you wish
to persuade
me, you must
think my
thoughts,
feel my
feelings
and
speak my
words.
Persuasion – Preaching to the
converted
Audience Analysis
What do they Want
and Need to Hear
PASSION
Belief
Make a logical
argument for their
existing beliefs
Understanding
Tie your arguments to
their logical and reenforced beliefs
Attention
Appeal to their
emotions to reenforce their existing
beliefs
Persuasion – Changing someone’s
mind
Audience Analysis
What do they Want
and Need to Hear
PASSION
Belief
Audience involvement
rhetorical questions –
deep thinking
Understanding
Use emotion to convince
them of the new beliefs.
Attention
Combine familiarity
and surprise – deep
thinking
Who was the most successful American
President in the last 50 years?
Reaganomics, Cold War
The 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.
. I have left orders to be awakened at any time in
case of national emergency,
even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.
Persuasion by logic, emotion and
character – can we combine all three?
Central Route –
deep thinking –
stable and
resistant to
competing
messages –
rhetoric - logic
Peripheral
Route –
Heuristics
character sincerity
Storytelling –
transportation
– emotion empathy
Character – how we look
and sound.
Rhetoric – startling
arguments - power of three
Emotion – Soaring Oratory
and pictures
SIX PILLARS OF
PERSUASION CIALDINI
Reciprocation
Scarcity
Commitment
consistency
Authority
Social
proof
Liking
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 UCLA
Extreme first demand and stuck
hard
Moderate demand and stuck hard
Extreme first demand and then
gradually retreated to the
moderate demand
Produced the best result
Felt more responsibility
Felt more satisfaction and therefore more
likely to agree to other requests
Commitment and Consistency
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Racetrack – more confident after you bet – once you
commit you try and act consistently
Beach experiment – get them to commit and they will risk
all
Friedman and Fraser – 3” sign to 10’ sign Even signing a
petition changed it.
Our deeds define us even to ourselves.
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
AUTHORITY
THE 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
SIX PILLARS OF
PERSUASION CIALDINI
Reciprocation
Commitment
consistency
Scarcity
Social
proof
Authority
Liking – attractiveness,
similarity, compliments,
co-operation,
association.