Persuasion psychology and unintended conseqence
Cialdini’s magnum opus is based on three years of field research. He applied for and trained at used car dealerships, fundraising organizations, and marketing firms to observe real-life situations of persuasion.
His research revealed six key principles of how humans persuade one another:
- Reciprocation
- Commitment and Consistency
- Social Proof
- Liking
- Authority
- Scarcity
- Unity — a bonus principle added in a later edition
When he first published this work, Cialdini aimed to help the scientific community better understand human psychology. He goes out of his way to explain how readers can apply each principle ethically. An unintended consequence: the book sold millions of copies to salespeople eager to use its insights to manipulate customers for financial gain. Charlie Munger (of Berkshire Hathaway) found the book so useful that he famously gifted the author a share of Class A Berkshire stock.
I’m happy to recommend this book — definitely in my top 20 reads of all time.