In his book “Influence – The Psychology of Persuasion”, Robert Cialdini identifies and demonstrates six so-called “weapons of influence”, psychological tricks that can be used to manipulate the thoughts and actions of people. These are:

1. Reciprocation

2. Commitment and Consistency

3. Social Proof

4. Liking

5. Authority

6. Scarcity

This book summary succinctly summarizes each weapon of influence, and how to avoid falling victim to each identified delusive tactic.

There is nothing in life that we have a stronger desire to understand, or devote more time to learning about, than one another. We are constantly learning about our world through observation, and are fundamentally interested in pleasing other people. This is due to the fact that all of the indicators of success that we experience over a lifetime are human-created. The way in which we define ourselves is largely based on our relationships with others and our qualifications, which are really nothing more than titles given to us by other people.

A fundamental understanding of psychology is of primary importance for anyone wishing to better understand how they fit into this world. Psychology here refers to the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behaviour in a given context. Much of our understanding of psychological principles comes naturally to us; we learn how people react in certain situations, and why, through our experiences.

This book explains why the six “weapons of influence” - reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, scarcity – when used effectively, consistently elicit “yes” responses. In this book summary, we will review each weapon and succinctly explain its use to the busy reader.

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