Robert Cialdini – Principles of Influence
Robert Cialdini – Principles of Influence – Contents
- Robert Cialdini Biography
- Robert Cialdini – Big Idea: Principles of Influence
- Interesting Facts and Insights about Robert Cialdini
- Career Advice Quotes by Robert Cialdini
- Business Advice Quotes by Robert Cialdini
- Leadership and Management Advice Quotes by Robert Cialdini
- Robert Cialdini Inspirational Quotes
- Books by Robert Cialdini
- Articles by Robert Cialdini
- Questions about Robert Cialdini
- Robert Cialdini – Videos
Robert Cialdini Biography
Robert Cialdini is a Professor of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University and was a visiting professor of marketing, business, and psychology at Stanford University, as well as at the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Robert Cialdini is best known for his 1984 book on persuasion and marketing, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.” Cialdini’s Big Idea is that influence is based on six fundamental principles. His book has sold over three million copies and has been translated into thirty languages. It has been listed on several Best Seller lists
Robert Cialdini – Big Idea: Principles of Influence
Robert Cialdini based his book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,” and his Big Idea on his three years of working “undercover” in various sales persuasion jobs. He applied and trained in the roles of used car dealerships, fund-raising organizations, and telemarketing firms where he studied real-life situations of persuasion.
The essential premise of the book is that in a complex world where people are overloaded with more information than they can deal with, people fall back on a decision-making approach based on generalizations. These generalizations develop because they allow people to usually act correctly with a limited amount of thought and time. However, they can be exploited and effectively turned into weapons by those who want to influence others.
Cialdini found that influence is based on six fundamental principles:
- Reciprocation: This trait is embodied in all human cultures and is one of the human characteristics that allow us to live as a society. People generally feel obliged to return favors offered to them.
- Commitment and Consistency: People have a general desire to appear consistent in their behavior. Persuasion professionals can exploit the desire to be consistent by having someone make an initial, small, commitment, known as the “foot-in-the-door technique.” Persuasion professionals exploit this principle with the so-called “low-ball” technique, where buyers agree to an attractive offer before it is altered to be less favorable to them and more profitable to the seller.
- Social Proof: People generally look to other people similar to themselves when making decisions. This fundamental is particularly noticeable in situations of uncertainty or ambiguity.
- Liking: People are more likely to agree to offers from people whom they like. Factors that can influence people to like some people more than others include:
- Physical Attractiveness
- People who are most like themselves
- People who pay compliments
- People who they are forced to cooperate with to form a trusting relationship.
- People tend to like people that make them laugh.
- Authority: People often react in an automated fashion to commands from authority and even to symbols of power.
- Scarcity: People tend to want things as they become less available. This fundamental understanding has encouraged advertisers to promote goods as “limited availability.”
In 2016 Cialdini proposed a seventh principle, which he called, the Unity Principle. The Unity Principle states that the more we identify ourselves with others, the more we are influenced by these others.
“People seem to be more motivated by the thought of losing something than by the thought of gaining something of equal value.”
– Robert Cialdini
Interesting Facts and Insights about Robert Cialdini
- Born: Robert Beno Cialdini was born in 1945.
- B.S.: Cialdini received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1967.
- Psychology: Cialdini undertook graduate studies in Social Psychology at the University of North Carolina.
- Ph.D.: Cialdini undertook Graduate study in Social Psychology at the University of North Carolina—Chapel
- Hill in 1970.
- Columbia University: Robert Cialdini received Postgraduate training in Social Psychology at Columbia University in 1971.
- Visiting Scholar: Cialdini held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University.
- Professor: Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
- Influence: Cialdini is best known for his 1984 book on persuasion and marketing, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.
- Best Seller: Cialdini’s book has sold over three million copies and has been translated into thirty languages.
- Author: He is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Best-Selling author.
- Honorary Degrees: Robert Cialdini has received Honorary Degrees, in 2017 from Georgetown University, Washington D.C., in 2013 from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wroclaw, and in 2007 University of Basil, Basil.
- CMCT: The Cialdini Method Certified Trainer (CMCT) program was designed to teach professional trainers on how to train the business community to practice and use the science of influence in the Principles of Persuasion (POP) Workshop.
- Presidential Campaigns: Cialdini was hired alongside many other behavioral scientists for the Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012. He also advised in the early stages of the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016.
“When you don’t pay direct attention to something, your brain puts little importance on it.”
– Robert Cialdini
Career Advice Quotes by Robert Cialdini
“We seem to assume that if a lot of people are doing the same thing, they must know something we don’t.”
“Often we don’t realize that our attitude toward something has been influenced by the number of times we have been exposed to it in the past.”
“We will use the actions of others to decide on proper behavior for ourselves, especially when we view those others as similar to ourselves.”
“In general, when we are unsure of ourselves, when the situation is unclear or ambiguous, when uncertainty reigns, we are most likely to look to and accept the actions of others as correct.”
“The best persuaders become the best through pre-suasion – the process of arranging for recipients to be receptive to a message before they encounter it.”
“Our best evidence of what people truly feel and believe comes less from their words than from their deeds.”
“The most successful persuaders spend more time crafting what to say or do just before making their request.”
“Anyone who knows how to time a request correctly, will become more successful.”
“Persuasion, unlike artistic inspiration, is learnable.”
“In meetings, sit across the person you want to influence. A speaker in full view usually determines the outcome of a discussion.”
“Apparently we have such an automatically positive reaction to compliments that we can fall victim to someone who uses them in an obvious attempt to win our favor.”
Business Advice Quotes by Robert Cialdini
“Persons who go through a great deal of trouble or pain to attain something tend to value it more highly than persons who attain the same thing with a minimum of effort.”
“People seem to be more motivated by the thought of losing something than by the thought of gaining something of equal value.”
“The joy is not in experiencing a scarce commodity but in possessing it.”
“We all fool ourselves from time to time in order to keep our thoughts and beliefs consistent with what we have already done or decided.”
“Advertisers love to inform us when a product is the ‘fastest-growing’ or ‘largest-selling’ because they don’t have to convince us directly that the product is good; they need only say that many others think so, which seems proof enough.”
“Since 95 percent of the people are imitators and only 5 percent initiators, people are persuaded more by the actions of others than by any proof we can offer.”
“The greatest recall occurred for details of ads that the researchers stopped five to six seconds before their natural endings.”
“An essential but poorly appreciated tenet of all communication: what we present first changes the way people experience what we present to them next.”
Thank you to our Chinese publisher, Cheers @annazhang418 for this acknowledgment of 1,000,000 copies sold of the Simplified Chinese Language version of Influence. We are grateful for their partnership. pic.twitter.com/tmiOZaTz7k
— Team Robert Cialdini (@RobertCialdini) July 22, 2019
“Classrooms with heavily decorated walls displaying lots of posters, maps, and artwork reduce the test scores of young children learning science material there. It is clear that background information can both guide and distract the focus of attention; anyone seeking to influence optimally must manage that information thoughtfully.”
“Pre-suasion is the practice of getting people sympathetic to your message before they experience it.”
“What is social proof? A phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behavior.”
“Surveys can increase demand. Asking a question the right way can put your customers in the right frame of mind to buy what you’re selling.”
Leadership and Management Advice Quotes by Robert Cialdini
“A communicator who references a weakness early on is immediately seen as more honest.”
“A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do.”
“The more effort that goes into a commitment, the greater is its ability to influence the attitudes of the person who made it.”
“The truly gifted negotiator, then, is one whose initial position is exaggerated enough to allow for a series of concessions that will yield a desirable final offer from the opponent, yet is not so outlandish as to be seen as illegitimate from the start.”
“There is a natural human tendency to dislike a person who brings us unpleasant information, even when that person did not cause the bad news. The simple association with it is enough to stimulate our dislike.”
“Persons who go through a great deal of trouble or pain to attain something tend to value it more highly than persons who attain the same thing with a minimum of effort.”
“There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.”
“A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do.”
“Often we don’t realize that our attitude toward something has been influenced by the number of times we have been exposed to it in the past.”
“As the stimuli saturating our lives continue to grow more intricate and variable, we will have to depend increasingly on our shortcuts to handle them all.”
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Robert Cialdini Inspirational Quotes
“Freedoms once granted will not be relinquished without a fight.”
“There is an obligation to give, an obligation to receive, and an obligation to repay.”
“Embarrassment is a villain to be crushed.”
“One of the keys to happiness involves purposely focusing attention to the positive aspects in your life.”
“Arguing against your self-interest creates a perception of honesty and trustworthiness, putting you in a more persuasive position.”
“The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost.”
“There’s a difference between a mystery and a question. Questions demand answers, but a mystery demands something more valuable-explanation.”
Books by Robert Cialdini
- Influence: Science and Practice, by Robert Cialdini, 1984
- Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade, by Robert Cialdini, 2016
- The Small Big: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence, by Noah J. Goldstein, Robert Cialdini, and Steve Martin, 2014
- Yes! 50 Secrets From the Science of Persuasion, by Noah J. Goldstein, Robert Cialdini, and Steve J. Martin, 2007
- Social Psychology: Goals in Interaction, by Douglas T. Kenrick, Robert Cialdini, and Steven Neuberg, 1999
- Yes! 60 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion, by Noah J. Goldstein, Robert Cialdini, and Steve Martin, 2017
- The Little Book of Yes: How to Win Friends, Boost Your Confidence and Persuade Others, by Noah J. Goldstein, Robert Cialdini, and Steve Martin, 2018
- Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery, by Douglas T. Kenrick, Robert Cialdini, and Steven Neuberg, 1999
- Instant Influence: How to Get What You Want in Any Business Situation, by Robert Cialdini, 1995
- Pre-Suasion: Channeling Attention for Change, by Robert Cialdini, 2016
Books Recommended by Robert Cialdini
- Enchantment, by Guy Kawasaki
- Made to Stick, by Chip & Dan Heath
- Power: Why Some People Have It And Others Don’t, by Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip & Dan Heath
- The Art of Choosing, by Sheena Iyengar
“When we like someone, we are more receptive to their ideas.”
– Robert Cialdini
Articles by Robert Cialdini
- The Uses (and Abuses) of Influence, by Robert Cialdini, Harvard Business Review, 2013
- The Power of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2003
- The Science and Practice of Persuasion, by Robert B. Cialdini, Noah J. Goldstein, 2002
Questions about Robert Cialdini
- How to contact and follow Robert Cialdini?
- Robert Cialdini’s Twitter Account is https://twitter.com/robertcialdini
- Robert Cialdini’s Facebook Account is https://www.facebook.com/robert.cialdini/
- Robert Cialdini’s LinkedIn Account is https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertcialdini/
- Robert Cialdini’s Website is https://www.influenceatwork.com/
- Robert Cialdini’s Blog is https://www.influenceatwork.com/inside-influence-report/
- Robert Cialdini’s Email is info@influenceatwork.com
- Robert Cialdini’s Phone number is +1 480-967-6070
“The human mind can hold only one thing in conscious awareness at a time.”
– Robert Cialdini
BIG IDEAS:
“Strategies for Influence” explores and shares the BIG IDEAS from the Leaders of Influence that can help you with your Career, Business, and Leadership. Click on any of the links below to explore the Big Ideas that have influenced our work and culture.
BIG IDEAS:
“Strategies for Influence” explores and shares the BIG IDEAS from the Leaders of Influence that can help you with your Career, Business, and Leadership. Click on any of the links below to explore the Big Ideas that have influenced our work and culture.
“We like people who are similar to us. This fact seems to hold true whether the similarity is in the area of opinions, personality traits, background, or lifestyle.”
– Robert Cialdini
Robert Cialdini – Videos
The Science of Influence
How to Get People to Say Yes: A Psychology Professor Explains the Science of Persuasion – Inc.
“No matter what industry you’re in, the ability to influence others is crucial. Your professional success can rely on it.”
– Robert Cialdini
Image Credit: Eilyjaneaz [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
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