Science Of Persuasion

Researchers have been studying the factors that influenced us to say yes to the requests of others for over 60 years and there can be no doubt that there is a science to how we are persuaded and a lot of this science is surprising when making a decision. It would be nice to think that people consider all the available information in order to guide their thinking but the reality is very often different in the increasingly overloaded lives we lead. More than ever we need shortcuts or rules of thumb to guide our decision-making. My own research has identified just six of these shortcuts as universals that guide human behavior. They are reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, and consensus. Understanding these shortcuts and employing them in an ethical manner can significantly increase the chances that someone will be persuaded by your request.