​The Science of Persuasion: The 6 Laws of Influence by Robert Cialdini

Let’s face it, information and communication are the order of the day. The news is no longer published daily and is released as it happens, updating automatically 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Among all this amount of information that is generated, societies are increasingly pushed to improve in the noble art of oratory and persuasion. Whether to win over that person we like so much or to win a general election. It’s not on a whim, In democratic societies, persuasion and mass influence turn out to be the most effective tools that people possess to come to power.

The importance of influencing and convincing others

Much has been said about influence and the different ways to modify or change people’s behavior and attitudes and what is the best way to achieve this. But only a renowned American psychologist named Robert Cialdini has managed to discover the principles behind any type of persuasive strategy.

in his book “Influence, the psychology of persuasion”Cialdini postulates the 6 laws of influence that lie behind any persuasion attempt and are used to obtain the recipient’s agreement.

The 6 laws of influence

Let’s learn about the different laws of influence that Cialdini describes in his book. A good opportunity to improve our communication skills and the ability to influence others.

1. Law of reciprocity

is defined as the tendency to return a favor to someone who has done us a previous favor by creating a feeling of obligation The feeling of being indebted to someone who has done something for us before makes this person predisposed to accept our requests.

The most important thing for the success of this law is to always be the first to do the favor, the more valuable, personal and unexpected what is given, the greater the feeling of favor, so that you do not know that you are being manipulated. For example, if you suddenly flatter someone and immediately ask for a favor or if you make breakfast for your parents and then ask for a favor, manipulation is very evident. You should not relate the delivery to the favor you are asking, so do not wait until the last minute to create the feeling of obligation.

2. Law of commitment or consistency

This law declares that people who have previously agreed to a small request are likely to eventually agree to a larger request By this law, the client agrees to our request to be consistent with a series of principles, values ​​and beliefs expressed in a previous commitment. The human tendency to be consistent with what we have already done, chosen or decided, means that if we break this consistency we feel cognitive dissonance that is expressed in the form of a feeling that is quite unpleasant for human beings.

For this reason, from small commitments, coherence is created with the issuer or the product and there will be a tendency to be consistent with that commitment on subsequent occasions.

3. Law of social proof

This principle is based on the human tendency to consider a behavior to be correct when we see other people carrying it out or when other people think the same.

When we look carefully at the videos, songs or any content that is in the top 10 of a ranking of the best sellers, downloaded or listened to. When we see a crowd watching a street show and we can’t resist the temptation to see what happens. These are all examples of the law of social proof in action. Waiters who put out a tip jar know that if they initially put in a few bills or coins at the beginning of the night, they will receive more money at the end, since more people will think that tipping is the correct behavior because “other people” have done it. previously. “More than 2,000 people have already tried it” “more than 2,000 people are already members” are common phrases known for their effect.

We already know why it is common to buy followers of new leaders and references who launch themselves into the race for power, a greater number of followers, greater truth and attractiveness of that person’s tweets.

4. Law of authority

People who reach a high position in the hierarchies are attributed more knowledge and experience that the rest is why what they recommend or sell is good.

We see the most common example when large-scale events occur such as an earthquake, a new epidemic or a terrorist attack. We hope to hear the interpretation of world authorities such as the president of the United States, the Pope or a Nobel Prize in

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. This is a sign that for an idea or service to be accepted by a large number of people, it is only necessary to convince experts and high-status people.

5. Law of liking or social attractiveness

The law of pleasure tells us that we are more predisposed to be influenced by people we like, and less so by people who reject us, a simple logic but highly typical of our human condition. Physically attractive people often unconsciously attribute other positive values ​​to them, such as honesty, transparency and success. However, attractiveness does not necessarily emanate from beauty; it can come from familiarity, similarity of opinions and belonging groups, or the effect of praise.

Now you understand the success of Nespresso’s advertising campaigns by incorporating George Clooney’s face as a brand image, right?

6. Law of scarcity

Surely you are familiar with the signs like “limited time offer”, “latest articles”, “run, they fly”… All these phrases and slogans are based on the principle of scarcity. By this principle, we are more willing to approach something if we notice that it is scarce or difficult to obtain

Now that you know the six forms of persuasion most accepted by the scientific community today, you will be able to easily detect when you are under the effect of one of them and, why not, use them for your noble causes.