Often, when we hear the term “persuasion,” it conjures up the image of a person manipulating us and tricking us to get what they want. We also often think that persuasion requires magical powers and innate skills to be successful in persuading. However, Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of the revolutionary book, Influence: Science and Practice, argues that it does not always have to be that way. He argues that the ability to persuade is guided by behavioral science. Cialdini spent his entire career in researching the science behind influence and persuasion, and on how this can be applied onto various industries, fields, and settings. Through his research, he organized his findings into six principles of persuasion. Cialdini (2011) also found out that “persuasion works by appealing to a limited set of deeply rooted human drives and needs, and it does so in predictable ways.” (p. 74) In the article, Harnessing the Science of Persuasion, by the “godfather of influence,” Robert Cialdini, discusses the importance of influence and the six principles of persuasion in detail.
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This principle states that as social creatures, we have the obligation to help those who have helped us. “In many cultures, accepting a gift without reciprocation is socially unacceptable.” (Sah & Fugh-Berman, 2013, p. 667) For example, when my co-worker asked me to cover her shift, I accepted it. Later on, when I asked her to cover for my shift, it was very easy to persuade her to agree with me because of her will to return the favor that I’ve done for her in the past. This principle is also applicable in the medical field. “A physician who accommodates small favors, such as agreeing to sudden appointment request to convince a patient when suggesting a lifestyle change” (Redelmier & Cialdini, 2002, p.1681) such as quitting smoking or drinking pills regularly may successfully persuade the patient because of the rule of
This principle states that as social creatures, we have the obligation to help those who have helped us. “In many cultures, accepting a gift without reciprocation is socially unacceptable.” (Sah & Fugh-Berman, 2013, p. 667) For example, when my co-worker asked me to cover her shift, I accepted it. Later on, when I asked her to cover for my shift, it was very easy to persuade her to agree with me because of her will to return the favor that I’ve done for her in the past. This principle is also applicable in the medical field. “A physician who accommodates small favors, such as agreeing to sudden appointment request to convince a patient when suggesting a lifestyle change” (Redelmier & Cialdini, 2002, p.1681) such as quitting smoking or drinking pills regularly may successfully persuade the patient because of the rule of