Summary of Influence: by Robert B. Cialdini | Includes Analysis

Overview

Robert B. Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion examines the compliance methods by which marketers, salespeople, and others, such as cult leaders, pressure people into doing things they would not otherwise do. There are six basic compliance tools: reciprocity, consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. Readers can learn specific techniques to resist each.

Humans rely on standard responses in many situations. For example, when one person gives another a gift, the recipient automatically feels indebted and is inclined to reciprocate. These mental shortcuts are usually helpful both to the individual and to society as a whole. Reciprocity helps facilitate mutual aid, which in turn helps solidify social bonds. These bonds in turn strengthen both the group and the individuals within it.

However, these automatic social responses can be used by salespeople, or compliance professionals, to make people buy things, or do things, that are not in their self-interest. A salesperson may give customers a free sample. Even though the customers do not want the sample, once they have taken it, they will feel indebted to the giver, and will be more inclined to buy a product as a way to