Robert Cialdini Persuasion In Practice Essay

1.1 Persuasion in practice

According to Robert B. Cialdini the use of persuasion makes it possible to work with an audience, convince the uncertain, and change the resistance. In other words, those who know such tricks are able to work their magic which is at once impressive and frustrating. The impressive part of it is not just the simple way they use charisma and eloquence to urge others to do what they want. It is also how enthusiastic those others are to do what has been told them, as if the persuasion itself was a favor or even a mercy and help they could not wait to reward. The disappointing part of the experience is that these born persuaders are often incapable to account for their wonderful skills or pass them on to other people. As a result, they are not able to teach others their gift and in turn let others receive

Cialdini

Robert Cialdini, Regents’ Professor of Psychology and Marketing, Arizona State University, has spent 30 years studying the ways people are influenced and persuaded. He has composed his findings down to six key principles, found in the fifth edition of ‘Influence: Science and Practice’.

In fact, Cialdini's theory of influence is based on six key principles: reciprocity, consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity because no leader can achieve successful results without mastering the art of persuasion. But there is hard science in that skill, too, and a large body of psychological research prompts that there are six basic laws of winning friends and influencing people (Cialdini R. B., 2001, p. 72).

The scientific study of the process of social influence has been under way for well over half a century, beginning in earnest with the propaganda, public information and persuasion programs of World War II. Since that time, numerous social scientists have examined the ways in which one individual can influence another’s attitudes, beliefs and actions (Cialdini R. B., 2001, p.