Influence (rev) : The Psychology of Persuasion
Author: Robert B. Cialdini
List Price: $15.00
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ISBN: 0688128165
Publisher: Quill (07 October, 1998)
Sales Rank: 544
Average Customer Rating: 4.66 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Excellent! Highly recommended.
This book is primarily about how marketers and sales professional manipulate our minds for their benefits. The topics covered are extensive, including contrast principle, mimic tricks of photuris/blenny, rule for reciprocation, reciprocal concessions (rejection then retreat technique), consistency (willingness to believe in the correctness of a difficult choice, once made), foot in the door technique, committing power of public/written statements, manipulation and exploitation of customers' self image, principle of social proof (draw of the crowd vs pluralistic ignorance when people feel most uncertain and unfamiliar), effect of repeated contact on liking (condition dependent), application of common goals for conflict solving, good cop/bad cop ploy, conditioning and association, the strength of authority pressure, scarcity principle (limited freedom to something makes it more desirable), Romeo and Juliet effect, etc etc. What makes it so outstanding from it's kind is that 1) it's so well written with many vivid examples and few jargons that most readers with no or little psychology background can enjoy it much. 2)In the end of each chapter there's a section named "how to say no", something you seldom find in other psychology book. That's certainly a plus coz knowledge without application amounts to nothing. In a word, a page turner and a must read particulary for everything in the city jungle.
Remarks: I like the opening adages of some chapters much. To quote some:
Chapter 3 Committment and Consistency: It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end. Da Vinci
Chapter 4 Influence: Where all think alike, no one thinks very much. Lippmann
Chapter 5 Liking: The main work of a trial attorney is to make a jury like his client. Darrow
Chapter 7: The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost. G.K. Chesterton
Rating: 5 out of 5
The Best Book I've Ever Read (Twenty Times!)
Robert Cialdini's book is not only entertaining to read, it reveals exceptionally useful psychological fundamentals. His research studies how and why people agree to things, and is not inclusive to any one area of life. His book explains the psychological triggers that influence people to comply with requests, and also covers how these triggers are used and abused.As a developmental trainer, I have found his work exceptionally insightful. It has helped me understand why certain management & sales techniques work, and sheds light on how we all are subject to these powerful psychological responses. The examples that he cites are powerful: all are well researched, easy to understand, and many are quite entertaining! If you are interested in affecting human behavior in anyway, this book is a must read. I originally read it nearly 10 years ago, and have read the book several times since.
Have you ever wondered why you've donated money to an organization you didn't even care about because they gave you a simple trinket? Ever found yourself "overpaying" a favor you received from another? Have you ever wondered why we all feel compelled to "keep up with the Jones," or why that special toy everyone wants for Christmas is so hard to get?
My company has a core set of values that we expect over 1500 people to follow, and none of our efforts would be possible without understanding his research and applying the principles of commitment & compliance. Salespeople, supervisors, executives, and anyone even remotely involved in influencing the behavior of others should IMMEDIATELY read this book.
Rating: 5 out of 5
A Classic - One of those Life-Changing Books
I first was introduced to Cialdini's work during an "Intro to Managerial Psychology" class in the early 90's. I have found the concepts in this legendary book to be useful again and again in everything I do in business.His was the first book I read that had the perfect balance of "down to earth" explanations with academic underpinnings, and a reasonable path to apply different topics.
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