Customer Reviews

Influence: Science and Practice (4th Edition)

5 star:		(96)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Right away, buyers should know that Cialdini has produced a less-expensive version of this book. "Influence: Science and Practice" is designed as a textbook for classroom instruction. So, it has things like chapter summaries and questions that can be assigned as homework. However, the other book "Influence: the psychology of persuasion," is designed for a more general audience. The content is basically the same, but it omits the classroom-oriented layout. It's also cheaper. If you are a student who is buying textbooks online, this is probably what you (or rather, your professors) want. If not, get the other one.

Both books focus on persuasive tactics. This is not a theoretical work trying to lay out a strategy of communication, like "Getting to Yes." This is a toolkit, designed to give the reader a selection of tools for specific circumstances. That is not to say that Cialdini lacks an understanding of more strategic thinking, just that it isn't the focus here.

The underlying theory is that people tend to be hardwired to respond to certain stimuli in predictable ways. The book tells you what those stimuli are, that is, how to push people's buttons. And it does a very good job, which is why Cialdini has demand for two versions of the same book.

I'm not going to list all of the tactics because the table of contents does that and, because they're detailed, they're difficult to understand without reading the book. But, they all have some basis in science and their effectiveness is empirically demonstrable, so you can trust that they work. The best part of this book, for me, was becoming more conscious of how others, including politicians, advertisers, and bosses, try to manipulate me. Cialdini deserves respect just for opening people's eyes, but he goes a step further by explaining ways to deal with the constant manipulation that is inherent in human communication.

The only problems I see are that the textbook version (this one) has a better index in the editions I compared, so it makes a better reference tool and that the book is written from an American cultural perspective. That's fine, as most of his audience is American, but, and this is my M.A. in Int'l Relations talking, I wonder how well some of these tactics would be recieved by people from other cultural backgrounds. In particular, notions of authority (which constitute a chapter) vary widely. Just a heads up. This is still a "must read" for people who want to know how to persuade or protect themselves against other's persuasion.

I disagree with the complaints about this being a repeat of earlier versions. "4th Edition" is quite clear. This is an updated easy to read version of a highly-regarded seminal work whose value has been proven over time.

While intended for students of psychology and for practitioners of the black art of marketing (selling over-priced unnecessary "stuff" to the unwitting), I regard this text as a very helpful reference for the new warriors, the practitoners of Information Operations and within that larger discipline, Strategic Communication & Public Diplomacy.

The six "principles" of influence, reciprocation, consistency, social proof (e.g. canned laughter), liking, authority, and scarcity, each receive their own chapter with annedotes and study questions.

Most interesting to me would be an international variation of this book, one that discussed the nuances of influence in other cultures, inclusive of family ties and prevalent sterotypes.

This book is applicable to business, evangelism, foreign affairs, defense, homeland security, and just about any field where interaction with humans is called for, and the mission demands the elicitation of collaborative behavior from others.

Good index, notes, and illustrations. Well-presented.

I've reviewed many books on influence and persuasion and this is one of the top books in the category. Easy to read, excellent writing style, it is a hard book to put down and begs you to read it slowly so that you don't miss something important. One of the fun things about reading it is when the author makes a point and you can look back and realize that you have dealt with someone who used just that technique to get you to buy that candy bar, car, or change your mind about something.

Persuasive speaking is an important part of what I do and I am very successful at it. The ability to persuade others has been very hard to pass on to employees and other speakers who have asked me how I do it. This book allowed me to look at what I do and see how I can transfer that ability to others. It has also helped me see some of the tricks of persuasion that snare the unwary and how they are used by unscrupulous people.
Cialdini not only makes his case by carefully presenting the techniques and the experiments on which they are based, but also details how they are used and how you can use them. For each technique he also indicates how to know when it is being used against you and how to resist the influence.
A highly recommended book and one of the best on this subject, Cialdini's work is often quoted in other books on influence and persuasion.

Influence: Science and Practice, by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. has sold over a quarter million copies and has been published in nine different languages. Perhaps not surprising for a psychology book, but this is neither a dry college text nor a "pop" how-to book.

Cialdini is a professor of psychology at Arizona State University. He has studied why we buy things, often without much thought, and has broken down our "short-cut" (read knee-jerk) actions into six categories: Reciprocation, Consistency, Social Proof, Liking, Authority and Scarcity.

Reciprocation is the experience we have when a member of a religious sect hands us a flower in an airport and then asks for a donation. We don't really want to, but we feel a social obligation to reciprocate. Same thing happens whenever we get an unsolicited gift.

Consistency is about behaving in a way that is congruent with the expectations of others. What those around us think is true of us is enormously important in determining what we ourselves think is true.

Social Proof is the influence that peer groups have on us. Cialdini quotes Cavett Roberts's advice to sales trainees, "Since 95 percent of people are imitators and only five percent initiators, people are persuaded more by the actions of others than by any proof we can offer."

Liking is demonstrated by several traits and behaviors, but the bottom line is this: people have to buy into you personally before they buy your product. People do business with people they like.

Authority is the demonstrated influence of anyone who sets himself up as knowing more than we do or having greater experience. This can be an Army general or a crafty restaurant waiter or any other self-proclaimed authority figure.

Scarcity is demonstrated by the greater desirability of the product when it is harder to get or more exclusive.

As Cialdini says, "The joy is not in experiencing a scarce commodity but in possessing it. It is important that we do not confuse the two." Hence the scarcity tactics used by many sales people.

Cialdini devotes a lot of space to explaining both how we can use these principles to influence others, and how, jujitsu style, we can defend ourselves against all this.

I hope this influences you to read this amazing book.

Edition after edition. They all sell. Why? Because this is a superbly written treatise on the subject of influence. This book and Aronson's Social Animal both rate among my 50 favorite books of all time. Cialdini's influence was enormously influential in my work in the field of persuasion and you can't say enough wonderful things about this text. Cialdini writes with clarity and authority about one of the most important subjects in the world today. A mega-winner. I have bought dozens of copies of this book for clients. It sets the standard. Kevin Hogan, ...

+++++

This well-referenced book first published in 1985 and authored by Robert Cialdini, an experimental social psychologist, deals with the dynamics of interpersonal influence processes.

Specifically, this book deals with the compliance of "automatic influence" which Cialdini defines by a question: "Just what are the factors [or principles] that cause one person to say yes [without thinking first] to another person?"

The principles mentioned in the above question are the subject of this book and, in fact, this book is organized around them. There are six principles discussed. Cialdini calls these principles "weapons of influence."

Each principle or "weapon" has a well written and thorough chapter devoted to it. Parts of these chapters are occasionally humerous. As well, each chapter has plenty of examples to illustrate each principle.

However, just knowing these principles is not enough! You have to know the practical techniques or "compliance tactics" that are based on these principles in order to get the desired result of automatic compliance. This book is packed with these techniques as well as examples of how they're used.

Why bother to learn these principles and techniques? Answer: to protect yourself. Protect yourself? From whom? To protect yourself from "compliance professionals" (for example, sales people, fund raisers, and advertisers) who utilize these principles and their associated tactics to help them get their own way. Where money is at stake, having them get their own way could be costly. Cialdini suggests ways of thinking to defend yourself against such people after you realize a specific technique is being used on you.

Of course, the compliance pros aren't the only ones who know about and use these principles and tactics. We all use them and fall victim to them to some degree in our interaction with neighbors, friends, spouses, and so on.

A handy feature of this book is the summary sections at the end of each chaper. These effectively highlight the main ideas in each chapter.

After reading this book, you'll be able to answer questions such as these:

(1) Imagine you're a lawyer representing someone who broke his leg in a store and is suing the store for $25,000.00 in damages. What would you do during the trial to make the jury see that this amount is reasonable, even a small, reward?

(2) Why is the "free" sample really not so free?

(3) What is there about written promises that make them so effective?

(4) Which naturally occurring conditions of city life reduce the chances of bystander intervention in an emergency?

(5) What is the evidence that we tend to say "yes" to similar others in an automatic fashion?

(6) What is the relationship between size and status in our society? Why did this relationship develop in this way?

(7) During one mid-1980's Christmas season the most sought after toy in the U.S. and Canada was the Cabbage Patch doll, which was said to be in very limited supply. Why were people reported to have spent as much as 35 times the regular price for this doll at public auctions to own a doll that cost much less at department stores?

(8) How can each weapon of influence be used in an exploitive way and how can each be used in a non-exploitive way?

In conclusion, don't be easy prey to compliance professionals! Learn about the principles or weapons of influence and their associated compliance tactics. Most importantly, learn the ways to defend yourself against such weapons and tactics. This book explains all this and more!!

+++++

Unlike "pop" influence books written by random people this is REAL social science. Cialdini is brilliant, providing solid evidence to back up his principles. Each major concept is supported by a variety of social psychology studies that demonstrates the principles in practice. Not only does it show how you can and how you are influenced, but also provides notes on how not to be manipulated. His style, while very detailed, is easy to read, with lots of often self-deprecating humor throughout. If you want to get a taste of this before buying, I'd suggest the audible lecture by Cialdini - it's a great intro to the subject and a blast to listen to. My only hope is that too many people don't find out about this book. Let them waste their time on NLP pseudo-science and outdated Machiavellian nonsense.

First off this is a great book and is written in a very accessable style. Just be aware that this book is the same (although updated I think) as "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion". I got them both with "buy both and save" only to find that out when I started to read the second one.

Here's a recipe for an enjoyable and useful book. Begin with one respected professor of psychology from Arizona State University. Sweeten with Regents Chair and Distinguished Graduate Research Faculty distinction. Mix in comments from readers of previous editions ("we get mail"). Fold in pop psychology twist and plenty of examples. Season to taste with just enough irreverence to spice up the text. Bake with three previous editions, improving on each version. Absorb and chill for 262 pages and gain a deep, fun, yet realistic understanding of how humans influence each other.

Marketers will benefit tremendously from this book. So will executives, managers, business owners, students, and everyone who has an interest in how we are influenced to make decisions. Those decisions may affect what we buy, where we work and live, and what relationships we have with others. The illustrations sprinkled throughout the volume offset the small print used to cram a tremendous amount of content into a book that is small enough not to be intimidating. No wonder over a quarter million copies have been sold. It's an Everyman's book on the topic, yet it's an academic treatise as well, with 16 pages of references preceding the index.

Each chapter includes a summary and study questions-both on content and to stimulate critical thinking. All those features you'd want in a book like this are all there, waiting for you. Expect to curl up with this book, nod your head, laugh, shake your head, and wonder in amazement while gaining insight. Cialdini grabs your attention and won't let go. Expect to make notes, write in margins, underline or highlight, and repeat your reading.

Readers of "Influence" will look differently at the world around them. Even if you merely scan through this book, you'll gain a new appreciation for advertising, group behavior, and even how you're treated by salespeople, co-workers, bosses, parents and friends. The conscious and unconscious heightened awareness will be well worth the time and money you invest in this book.

This is an interesting book about the various motivators that drive people to agree with us. The examples are relevant and add substance to the author's viewpoints. I think this book is well worth reading if you want to know how to move others. Additionally, I strongly suggest another book, Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self as the resource to be your best, bring out the best in others and achieve optimum results. Get a hold of both of these books.