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The cover of Influence

Influence

Robert B. Cialdini, 1984

Learn the six shortcuts that make us say yes without thinking, how professionals counterfeit them to exploit us, and how to spot the trap and decline.

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9 parts, about 29 minutes to read.

Why read it

  • Explains six principles behind saying yes: consistency, reciprocation, social proof, authority, liking and scarcity
  • Draws on laboratory experiments and years spent undercover among salespeople, fundraisers and advertisers to show how compliance tactics really work
  • Gives practical ways to spot each tactic and refuse it, such as noticing the sinking feeling of being trapped

Who it is for

  • Shoppers who want to resist high pressure sales tactics
  • Marketers and salespeople curious why requests succeed or fail
  • Readers who often say yes and regret it

What the summary covers

  1. A Patsy Goes Undercover2 min
  2. Click, Whirr: The Shortcuts That Run Us3 min
  3. Reciprocation: The Old Give and Take4 min
  4. Commitment and Consistency: Hobgoblins of the Mind5 min
  5. Social Proof: Truths Are Us5 min
  6. Liking: The Friendly Thief3 min
  7. Authority: Directed Deference3 min
  8. Scarcity: The Rule of the Few3 min
  9. Instant Influence in an Automatic Age1 min

Recommended by

  • Daniel KahnemanNobel Prize laureate, author of Thinking, Fast and Slow
    Robert Cialdini has done the impossible: he has improved a masterpiece. The new version of “Influence” is a marvelously rich and engaging account of the subtle power that people exert on each other.
  • Daniel H. PinkAuthor of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human
    Cialdini has made a classic even better. This updated edition of INFLUENCE affirms its place as one of the most important books on business and behavior of the last 50 years. The new additions are terrific.
  • Katy MilkmanWharton School professor, host of Choiceology podcast
    If you could read just one book on how to be more effective in business and life, I’d pick INFLUENCE. It’s a tour de force that Cialdini has somehow made more marvelous.
  • Annie DukeAuthor of Thinking in Bets and How to Decide
    Robert Cialdini is a pioneer in translating complex scientific work into a fun and digestible form that the rest of us can understand and benefit from. In this updated version of INFLUENCE, Cialdini updates what was already a powerhouse book with the latest, cutting-edge research and new narratives to masterfully draw the reader in. INFLUENCE was always a must-read and, now, it is even more so.
  • Charlie MungerVice Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway
  • Guy KawasakiAuthor and speaker

About the author

  • Robert B. CialdiniRegents' Professor Emeritus of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University
    • PhD from the University of North Carolina and postdoctoral training at Columbia University
    • Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University
    • Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018 and the National Academy of Sciences in 2019
    • Honorary doctorates from Georgetown University, Wroclaw and Basel
    • Author's own account: his books, including Influence, have sold more than 7 million copies in 44 languages

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