Influence and Persuasion

Question 1

What are the two routes of persuasion?

Answer 1

Central and Peripheral route

Question 2

What is the central route

Answer 2

Makes use of System 2
Logical, rational, usually conscious
Leads to longer-lasting attitude cha

Question 3

What is the peripheral route

Answer 3

Makes use of System 1

Emotional, indirect, normative, usually not conscious

Question 4

What are central route strategies for rational influence

Answer 4

-Demonstrate lack of self-interest
-Present both sides – not just one
Then argue against the one you disagree with
-Aim for incremental (not absolute) change in belief
-Beware of inoculation: “forewarned is forearmed”
->If possible, keep quiet about your aims until you can lay out your full argument

Question 5

What are Cialdini’s 6 principles?

Answer 5

Authority, Reciprocity, Commitment and consistency, scarcity, liking, social proof (peer influence)

Question 6

What is the principle of authority?

Answer 6

Experts are more persuasive than non-experts

• Make sure audience knows your credentials (without being arrogant)
• The older/higher you get, the easier this is

How might you achieve this at the start of your career?

Question 7

What is the principle of reciprocity?

Answer 7

We feel obligated to repay others’ good deeds

Can be especially useful when you are low in the organizational hierarchy

• Be sure you are serving as an ally at least as often as you are asking for allies
• In a tense situation, give a little at the outset

Question 8

When might reciprocity backfire?

Answer 8

Not always nonconscious – especially in collectivistic cultural contexts
May be seen as brown-nosing or bribing vs. sincere

Question 9

What is commitment and consistency?

Answer 9

If you change your attitude, you’ll probably change your behavior
But also: if you change your behavior, you may change your attitude as a result

Seek a public commitment (behavior), and you may get:

• Stronger private commitment (attitude)
• Consistent future behavior

Question 10

What is scarcity?

Answer 10

People want something more when there is less of it to be had

• One-time opportunities
• Exclusive information
• Fear of losing an opportunity (vs. not getting a gain)

Question 11

What is liking?

Answer 11

We are more persuaded by those we like

• Physical attractiveness matters … but we are who we are!
• Form genuine relationships in your organization and industry
• Foster interdependence
• If things are tense – find commonalities, aspects to praise

Question 12

What is social proof?

Answer 12

Others are more persuasive to the extent that they are more similar to ourselves

• Can be meaningful similarity (fellow student) or meaningless (same birthday, physical mimicry)
• Especially helpful for lateral (horizontal) persuasion
• With a new audience, seek out similarities

Question 13

What are the ethics of influence and persuasion?

Answer 13

Ethically defendable
-Using peripheral-route techniques (System 1) to supplement a strong argument that the central route (System 2) would also support

Ethically dubious
Using peripheral-route techniques (System 1) to try to distract the central route (System 2) from a weak argument it wouldn’t support
Also unlikely to work in the long run