How to learn to persuade: 9 laws of persuasion with examples

Man and his belief system

Our belief system is a kind of conditioned reflexes of the mind, attitudes and principles that help us find answers to certain questions in different life situations. Thus, every person reacts and acts under the influence of his beliefs.

Often a person’s beliefs are a good help, but it happens that some of them can lead to a dead end and send them on the wrong course of their life. After all, the attitudes of any person can both contribute to prosperity and well-being, and make him unhappy, lonely, etc.

Most people feel uncomfortable in life and exist in constant conflict with themselves and their environment. Why is this happening? Experts believe that their beliefs are to blame for all this. And they explain it as follows:

• discrepancy between the beliefs of a particular person and other people;
• a conflict of needs or natural desires, goals of an individual with her system of her own beliefs;
• the existence of limiting beliefs that hinder development and movement forward

Everyone, without exception, wants to live happily and in harmony. It would seem that there is nothing complicated here. A person develops throughout his life, communicates with his environment, receives information from various sources, which changes his worldview, beliefs, goals, and capabilities. And under the influence of all this, we are doomed to eternally conflict with ourselves in search of truth. However, not many manage to find it.

But people who have found Ariadne's miracle thread have a chance to find themselves and their path to a prosperous life. Sometimes, by changing your beliefs, at least one of them, you can avoid many mistakes, get rid of barriers, blocks that slow down and prevent you from living and enjoying every second of your life.

In fact, the formation of life beliefs is influenced by a huge number of factors. These include a person’s own experience, knowledge base, social circle, and strong-willed qualities. Much depends on what beliefs he received in early childhood. They are very deep, operate at the subconscious level, so they are difficult to change. It depends on who influences the formation of the child’s system of values ​​and beliefs. But with regard to later ones, formed during growing up under the influence of literature, films, the Internet, the public, etc., successful changes can be achieved if you accept that among them there are limiting beliefs.

Each of us has a period of life when we are able to form our own moral belief system. If you don’t do this, you can fall under someone’s influence and become a pawn in their game. But here a lot depends on the person, on his ability to filter incoming information from different sources, analyze it, and question it. Only a mature person is able to harmonize his life, make his thinking flexible, understand what influences the formation of beliefs, as well as admit mistakes and limitations, realize and get rid of misconceptions.

Persuasion as a form of influence on the subject’s decision-making

Request.

The famous French composer Michel Legrand once said: “It is not normal when you do something that is not asked of you. Laziness is a normal state.” Obviously, it is for people with such a temperament that a request is a powerful stimulator of their activity, bringing them out of the “state of suspended animation.” Speaking seriously, this form of external initiation of the subject’s motivational process is used in the case when they do not want to make the influence official or when someone needs help. In many cases, subjects (especially children and subordinates) are flattered that instead of an order or demand, a senior person in age or position uses a form of address to them, in which a certain element of dependence of the person asking on the person to whom he is addressing is manifested. This immediately changes the subject’s attitude to such influence: an understanding of his significance in the situation that has arisen may arise in his mind.

A request has a greater impact on the subject's intentions if it is formulated in clear and polite terms and accompanied by respect for his right to refuse if fulfilling the request creates some inconvenience for him.

Suggestion (advice)

To offer something to someone means to present something for discussion as a known possibility (option) for solving a problem. The subject's acceptance of what is proposed depends on the degree of hopelessness of the situation in which he finds himself, on the authority of the person who proposes, on the attractiveness of what is proposed, on the personality characteristics of the subject himself. Thus, in relation to a person’s temperament, the following is noted: a choleric person is more likely to respond to a proposal with resistance, a sanguine person will show curiosity about it, a melancholic person will respond with avoidance, and a phlegmatic person will respond with refusal or delaying time, since he needs to understand the proposal.

“To ask for advice is to seek approval for a decision that has already been made.”

Ambrose Bierce

“You can give another reasonable advice, but you cannot teach him reasonable behavior.”

F. La Rochefoucauld

Persuasion as a form of influence on the subject's decision-making.

Persuasion is a method of influencing the consciousness of an individual through appealing to his own critical judgment. The basis of persuasion is an explanation of the essence of the phenomenon, cause-and-effect relationships and relationships, highlighting the social and personal significance of solving a particular issue. Persuasion can be considered successful if a person becomes able to independently justify the decision made, assessing its positive and negative aspects. Conviction appeals to analytical thinking, in which the power of logic and evidence prevail and the persuasiveness of the arguments presented is achieved. Conviction as a psychological influence should create in a person a conviction that another is right and his own confidence in the correctness

the decision being made.

To persuade someone means to achieve, by means of logical justification of a proposed proposition, the agreement of an individual or group with a certain point of view and such a change in comparison with the previous consciousness of those who are convinced that they were ready to defend this point of view and act in accordance with it.

D. Myers notes that the success of persuasion depends on who convinces ( the “communicator ”), what he says (the message), how (the method of conveying the message) and to whom (the audience). Let's consider these components.

Communicator.

The perception of information depends on who reports it, how much an individual or the audience as a whole trusts the source of information. Trust is the perception of a source of information as competent and reliable. A communicator can create an impression of his competence among listeners in three ways. First: start making judgments with which the listeners agree. Thus, he will gain a reputation as an intelligent person.

The second is to be presented as an expert in the field. The third is to speak confidently, without a shadow of doubt.

Reliability depends on the way the communicator speaks. People trust a communicator more when they are sure that he has no intention of convincing them of anything. Those people who defend what goes against their interests also seem truthful. Trust in the communicator and confidence in his sincerity increase if the communicator speaks quickly. Fast speech, in addition, deprives listeners of the opportunity to find counterarguments.

If the message of a trustworthy person is persuasive, then as the source of information is forgotten or the source-information connection is blurred, his influence may fade, and the influence of an untrustworthy person may, for the same reasons, strengthen over time. (if people remember the message itself better, and not the reason why they underestimated it in the first place)

This kind of delayed belief, which begins to operate after people have forgotten about the source of information or its connection with the information received, is called the “sleeper effect.”

The attractiveness of the communicator also affects the effectiveness of his persuasive statements. The term “attractiveness” refers to several qualities. This is both the beauty of a person and the similarity with us: if the communicator has either one or the other, the information seems more convincing to listeners

Recipient Features

.
People with an average level of self-esteem are the easiest to persuade.
Older people are more conservative in their views than younger people. At the same time, attitudes formed in adolescence and early adolescence can remain for life, since the impressions acquired at this age are deep and unforgettable. In a state of strong excitement, agitation, and anxiety of the recipient, his pliability to persuasion increases. A good mood often promotes persuasion, partly because it promotes positive thinking and partly because it creates a connection between the good mood and the message. People who are in a good mood tend to look at the world through rose-colored glasses. In this state, they make more hasty, impulsive decisions, relying, as a rule, on indirect signs of information. Those who conform are more easily persuaded. Women are more susceptible to persuasion than men. The persuasive influence may be especially ineffective in relation to men with a low level of self-esteem, who are acutely worried, as it seems to them, about their uselessness, alienation, who are prone to loneliness, aggressive or suspicious, and who are not stress-resistant. In addition, the higher the intelligence of recipients, the more critical their attitude to the proposed content is, the more often they assimilate information but disagree with it.

Message content

. What will have a stronger effect - the logic of presentation or an appeal to a person’s emotions and feelings? The answer to this depends on the composition of the audience. If it consists of educated listeners with an analytical mind, then their response to the arguments of the mind will be greater than to the arguments addressed to the heart. Otherwise, arguments that appeal to emotions will be better accepted.

Beliefs that cause fear can be effective . They are more effective when they not only scare the possible and probable negative consequences of certain behavior, but also offer specific ways to solve the problem. Diseases, the picture of which is not difficult to imagine, are more frightening than diseases about which the population has a very vague idea.

However, using fear for persuasion, one must not cross a certain line when this method turns into information terror, which is often observed when advertising various medicines on radio and television. It is also important to consider that when a person is encouraged to fear what gives him pleasure, the result is often not a change in behavior, but a protest. This is why propaganda against smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction, and AIDS is so weak.

The information that comes first sounds more convincing ( the primacy effect

).
However, if some time passes between the first and second messages, then the second message has a stronger persuasive effect, since the first has already been forgotten ( recency effect
).

How the message is conveyed

(
communication channel
)
.
It has been established that the arguments (arguments) given by another person convince us more strongly than similar arguments given to ourselves. The weakest are those given mentally, somewhat stronger are those given to oneself out loud, and the strongest are those given by another, even if he does it at our request.

Persuasion can be carried out by two methods: didactic and Socratic (dialectical). With the first method, the person who persuades mainly speaks; with the second, the person being persuaded is involved in the discussion (at the same time, he can express his disagreement on points that seem unconvincing or incorrect to him).

The formation of a person’s conviction can occur directly and indirectly (in the latter case, by reducing anxiety, uncertainty, doubts, fears, and ignorance). You can convince not only by word, but also by deed, by personal example.

A central factor in persuasion, especially in interactions between two people, is the expression of confidence . In a series of studies, researchers found that persuaders used words that conveyed confidence , while those who were persuaded tended to use words that conveyed doubt .

Expressing confidence in speech through paralinguistic means is a key factor on which persuasion in interpersonal interactions depends. However, expressing confidence in too many words can have the opposite effect and cause resistance in the other person. In general, those subjects who were able to persuade others most effectively used the following strategy: they tried to change the opinion of the person they were convincing, but at the same time maintain a social connection with him. To accomplish this difficult task, they used two types of tactics: 1) expressed confidence in their own abilities and arguments, but 2) reduced the persuasive pressure and tried to ingratiate themselves once it became clear that their victory was close. Therefore, they not only influenced people, but also won friends. As a rule, neither side understood how this “cunning” strategy and the mechanisms for its implementation interacted.

People value their own freedom and independence. Therefore, one must always be clear: when social pressure becomes so strong that there is a real threat to their personal freedom, people often rebel.

methods of persuasion are distinguished :

• fundamental : represents a direct appeal to the interlocutor,

who is immediately and openly introduced to all the information that constitutes

the basis for proving the correctness of the proposal;

• method of contradiction : based on identifying contradictions in the arguments of the person being persuaded and on carefully checking one’s own arguments for consistency in order to prevent a counter-offensive;

• method

“
draw conclusions
”:
arguments are not presented all at once, but gradually, step by step, seeking agreement at each stage;
• method

“
pieces
”:
the arguments of the person being persuaded are divided into strong (accurate), average (controversial) and weak (erroneous);
They try not to touch the former, but the main blow is dealt to the latter; • method of ignoring

:
the interlocutor (persuader) ignores (without answer, comment) the opponent’s undeniable argument if it cannot be refuted;
• emphasis method

:
emphasis is placed on the arguments given by the interlocutor and corresponding to common interests (“you say it yourself...”);
• method of two-sided argumentation

:
for greater persuasiveness, they first outline the advantages and then the disadvantages of the proposed method of resolving the issue;
it is better if the interlocutor learns about the shortcomings from the persuader than from others, which will give him the impression that the persuader is unbiased (this method is especially effective when persuading an educated person, while a poorly educated person lends itself better to one-sided argumentation); • method

“
yes, but
...”:
used in cases where the interlocutor provides
convincing evidence of the advantages of his approach to resolving the issue; first they agree with the interlocutor, then after a pause

provide evidence of the shortcomings of his approach;

• apparent support method

:
this is a development of the previous method: the interlocutor’s arguments
are not refuted, but, on the contrary, new arguments are presented

in their support. Then, when he has the impression that the persuader is well informed, counterarguments are given;

• boomerang method

:
the interlocutor is given back his own arguments, but directed in the opposite direction;
arguments for are turning into arguments against. One study found that when college students were asked to try to change someone's attitude , they spoke faster, louder, and more smoothly and their facial expressions were more pleasant and their eye contact time with the audience was longer than when they were asked to simply convey information. .

Physically attractive people

They tend to have a greater persuasive influence on other communication partners, and it is probably no coincidence that their speed and smoothness of speech are above average when trying to influence others.

Speaking quickly gives the impression that the speaker is trustworthy and knowledgeable. In addition, rapid speech makes it difficult for the listener to systematically process the information received by the listener.

Persuasion is effective in the following cases:

• when it concerns one need of the subject or several, but of equal strength (a slight increase in the volume of work, approximately equal in strength and containing the same set of qualitative characteristics, but different in volume, or a slight change in the qualitative component);

• when carried out against the background of low intensity of emotions of the persuader; excitement and agitation are interpreted as uncertainty and reduce the effectiveness of his argumentation; outbursts of anger and swearing cause a negative reaction from the interlocutor;

• when we are talking about minor issues that do not require reorientation of needs;

• when the persuader is confident in the correctness of the proposed solution; in this case, a certain dose of inspiration, an appeal not only to the mind, but also to the emotions of the interlocutor (through “contagion”) will help enhance the effect of persuasion;

• when not only one’s own is proposed, but the argumentation of the person being persuaded is also considered; this gives a better effect than repeated repetitions of one’s own arguments;

• when argumentation begins with a discussion of those arguments on which it is easier to reach agreement; you need to ensure that the person being persuaded more often agrees with the arguments: the more “yes” you can get, the greater the chances of achieving success;

• when an argumentation plan has been developed that takes into account possible

opponent's counterarguments; this will help build the logic of the conversation and make it easier for the opponent to understand the position of the persuader.

Richard Petty and Joni Cacioppo have theorized that beliefs are formed in one of two ways. When people have enough reason to think systematically about the essence of information and when they are able to do so, favorable conditions arise for focusing on arguments and for implementing the direct method.

If these arguments are compelling and weighty, the likelihood of conviction is high. If a message contains nothing but easily refutable arguments, thoughtful people will definitely pay attention to them and challenge them.

However, sometimes the strength of the arguments does not matter. Sometimes we are either unwilling or incapable of serious reflection. If our attention is distracted, if the message is not interesting to us, or if we simply do not have time, we may well not pay due attention to the content of the message. Instead of assessing the persuasiveness of its arguments, we can take an indirect route to persuasion—by focusing on cues that will “trigger agreement” without much thought.

When attention is distracted or we are not inclined to think, then familiar and understandable judgments turn out to be more convincing than original and non-standard ones. Thus, the saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” will make a greater impression on a person busy with his thoughts or affairs than the call “Don’t invest all your money in one risky venture.”

The ultimate goal of the operative is not just to force the recipient to pay attention to his message, but then whatever happens. As a rule, his task includes a certain change in the opponent’s behavior.

When persuading, it is advisable to:

• show the importance of the proposal, the possibility and simplicity of its implementation;

• present different points of view and analyze forecasts (if convinced, including negative ones);

• increase the significance of the merits of the proposal and reduce its size

shortcomings;

• take into account the individual characteristics of the subject, his educational background

and cultural level and select the arguments that are closest and most understandable to him;

• never directly tell a person that he is wrong, in this way you can only hurt his pride - and he will do everything to protect himself, his position (it is better to say: “Perhaps I’m wrong, but let’s see...”);

• to overcome the negativism of the interlocutor, create the illusion that the proposed idea belongs to him (to do this, it is enough just to lead him to the appropriate thought and provide the opportunity to draw a conclusion);

• do not parry the interlocutor’s argument immediately and with apparent ease; he will perceive this as disrespect for himself or as an underestimation of his problems (what torments him for a long time is resolved to others in a matter of seconds);

• criticize in a dispute not the personality of the interlocutor, but the arguments he gives, which are controversial or incorrect from the point of view of the person persuading (it is advisable to preface the criticism by admitting that the person being convinced is right about something, this will help avoid offending him);

• argue as clearly as possible, periodically checking whether the subject understands you correctly; do not drag out arguments, as this is usually associated with the speaker having doubts; construct short and simple phrases not according to the norms of the literary language, but according to the laws

oral speech; use pauses between arguments, since the flow of arguments in monologue mode dulls the attention and interest of the interlocutor;

• include the subject in discussion and decision-making, since people are better

adopt the views in which they participate;

• oppose your point of view calmly, tactfully, without mentoring.

When the attitudes of interested people are attacked, is necessary . All you have to do is give these listeners a few minutes - and they are ready to defend themselves.

The likelihood of verbal persuasion increases if you distract people's attention with something just enough to prevent them from collecting their thoughts and finding counterarguments.

How can one not recall one of the tricks that cunning department heads used in Soviet times when they went to the Ministry to resolve some issues: they took beautiful young employees with them. As a rule, in this case the issues were resolved successfully. Probably, the persuasion of the authorities was increased due to the distraction of a beautiful woman. Also, for this purpose, you can use a certain fetish, objects that the interlocutor can clearly pay attention to (a beautiful watch, a mobile phone if the interlocutor is a woman, then beautiful jewelry on the hands of the persuader (woman), correctly selected perfume (if the interlocutor is of the opposite gender )). But, do not forget that the use of this technique in some interlocutors can cause a backlash: absent-mindedness, due to the emphasis on this subject, the beauty of the opposite sex can cause irritation if the opponent belongs to sexual minorities, an expensive accessory can cause a negative reaction among low-income citizens. In this regard, before using this technique, if possible, you should select preliminary information about your opponent.

Some people have the gift of persuasion, in particular, according to many, Hitler was like that. Here is what Joachim Ribbentrop, Foreign Minister of Nazi Germany, writes: “When he (Hitler) wanted to win someone over to his side or achieve something from his interlocutor, he did it with unsurpassed charm and the art of persuasion. I saw how strong personalities, ministers and Gauleiters, even Goering himself, came to him, bursting with the desire to immediately “reveal the truth to the Fuhrer.” They were determined to tell him categorically that a catastrophe was about to happen, and they could not take responsibility unless one or another of his orders was reversed. And half an hour later they left him beaming and satisfied, and often with the same conviction they defended Hitler’s point of view, often contradicting the one they wanted to express to him” (“Memoirs of a Nazi Diplomat” source title, insert footnote!).

The power of belief is within each of us

All people have their own set of ideas, principles and attitudes, and consider their own beliefs to be the standard of correctness. It's their ego.

Internal foundations, rules and principles do not accept external coercion, and these beliefs imply freedom to evaluate any evidence that other people provide. And this has a huge impact on how each of us acts in a certain situation. At that particular moment, we do not see any other solution and often do not realize the negative consequences in the future.

Working with Beliefs

We are able to perceive ourselves, others and the entire world around us from the point of view of our own beliefs. We so

tend to judge and evaluate others and the current circumstances in their lives. In some cases they help, but in others, on the contrary, they create a lot of difficulties and obstacles on the path of life. But each of us is inclined to believe that he is doing the right thing and does not think about the consequences, which do not always bring the expected effect. And even if indisputable evidence is presented that the judgment is a negative belief, not everyone admits their mistakes and remains with their point of view to the end. For selfish “stubborn” people, even bad consequences do not matter.

At the moment the belief system of a particular person manifests itself, expectations arise only for a good outcome of the situation. We tend to believe that everything will be according to the system of our attitudes. Namely:

• other people will behave “correctly” and only in the way we expect;
• The situation is under control and should not develop differently.

However, not everything is so simple and predictable in our unstable world. And failures often happen - what happens becomes different from what we pictured for ourselves, all our beliefs “break”. And this naturally cannot be called a pleasant phenomenon; it can provoke conflicts, resentments and other troubles depending on the situation.

The result of the development of events can be in two ways:

• awareness, partial recognition of some of one’s misconceptions and erroneous beliefs, which leads to a difficult change in oneself and belief system;
• defending an ingrained worldview, trying to change everything except oneself in accordance with one’s ideas;
• giving up all your beliefs, but gradually, which is working on them.

What can we gain by working on our belief system? As a result, they gain a certain freedom. They get rid of restrictions, which gives a new chance to live in the present moment, without expecting anything and without making any claims to the Universe in case of unjustified expectations. Life without expectations is much more enjoyable. However, not everyone is given the ability to understand and accept a life where they do not strain, do not adapt to the system and conditions.

According to experts in this field, a rigid belief system provides an installation of control. Those who wish to manipulate for profit exploit the personal beliefs and attachments of their victims. By pressing certain “buttons”, the manipulator achieves his goal. If there are no such levers of pressure, then there is no chance of management and control.

If you have chosen the path of freedom, then ask yourself these questions:

• Who you are?
• Who should they become?
• What remains to be done?
• What model of behavior to choose for survival?
• What should you have?
• How do you imagine other people in your life?
• What and how are they required to do?
• How do you see the world around you, God?
• What is relevant in the areas of laws, regulations, religious beliefs, politics, etc.

The essence and features of psychological impact

Psychological influence is a concept often used in psychology and sociology. It is a process during which the behavior, attitudes, intentions, desires and ideas of an outsider change. With the help of mechanisms of psychological influence, the potential of intragroup or mass interaction is more fully realized. This category involves the use of methods of disintegration or group differentiation.

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As features of psychological influence, it is necessary to highlight:

• Unconscious (spontaneous) character;
• Lack of social control;
• Use for a specific purpose (positive or negative);
• The intermediate state of man.

The topic of psychological influence is especially interesting for entrepreneurs, advertisers, marketers and businessmen. By using influence mechanisms, they can sell their products (sell their services) more quickly. The results of work of representatives of these professions will largely depend on the ability to use tools of psychological influence.

The category “psychologically constructive impact” is characterized by the fact that it should not have a negative impact on the individual. Psychological literacy and correctness must be among the mandatory requirements.

Influencing people is often used in everyday life. Modern conditions show that this often began to happen for the sake of selfish intentions or to obtain a certain benefit. If you know well the characteristics of your interlocutor, then achieving the desired result cannot be difficult.

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Law of Rare Opportunity

When the quantity of something we need is limited, its value increases in our eyes.

The Law of Rare Opportunity is widely used in television advertising. Typical advertising phrases: “while supplies last,” “only on Sundays,” “limited quantities,” “only 10,000 in stock,” and others are statements that hint at a quantitative limitation and a rare purchasing opportunity. .

People sincerely believe that the car dealer will raise prices at the end of the week, and they will never again be the same as today!

A salesperson who wants to meet with a client in a management position may take advantage of the law of rare opportunity and hint to the client that he has a very busy schedule. On such and such days and at such and such times he is busy, but there are options. “On Friday and Monday I can’t, but on Tuesday, at 15.15, I will have twenty minutes free. Will this suit you?

The girl is tired of her boyfriend. However, as soon as he shows interest in another girl, she wants to date him again. The possibility of losing a young man gives him value in the eyes of his girlfriend.

Advertising

Law of Influence

The degree of influence of some people on others depends on the authority, strength and competence of these people in the eyes of those who experience this influence.

Doctors have great influence. Usually people take their words with great confidence. Dr. Robert Cialdini's book, Influence, does a good job of showing how much authority a doctor has in the eyes of nurses. When a doctor calls a hospital and asks them to give medicine to patients, even if it is prescribed by mistake, 95% of the nurses follow the doctor's instructions, contrary to the hospital's rules. This is the power of influence.

The auto mechanic becomes an influential person in the eyes of the consumer. The fate of the machine is in his hands, and for anyone ignorant of mechanics, his word is immutable. If he tells you that you need to adjust something, you are more likely to listen and follow his advice.

Advertising

Association Law

We generally like products, services, or ideas that are endorsed or promoted by people who inspire us with sympathy and respect.

If we like people advertising a product, we develop positive associations with that product. Regardless of its quality, we often buy such a product because of the advertisement that a famous person made for it. (But only the first time. The second purchase is a different matter, and we'll talk about it later.)

Music is an amazing phenomenon that can evoke a variety of memories. To this day, my mother cannot listen to the song “I'll Be Home for Christmas” without crying. Her brother died during World War II, and she learned about it when she listened to this song. Often music is associated with the story of love and romantic relationships. Many married couples have a song that they consider their “love song.” Songs bring back memories and allow people to relive how they felt when they first heard the music, even if it was many years ago.

During presidential election years, candidates often rely on the words of former presidents from the opposing party in their speeches. .This is a great tactic to use in debates. Republican candidates often quote super-popular Democrats such as John F. Kennedy. Such references evoke a positive response in the minds of Democrats and, in particular, people who once supported Kennedy. Skillful use of this technique guarantees the candidate additional votes in the elections.

Law of Conformity

People accept offers, products and services that receive the approval of the majority of people around them and their peers.

Speaking about the law of conformity, we can distinguish three main categories of people:

1. Conformists.
2. Nonconformists.
3. "Independent".

Conformists make up about 85% of all people. Conformists are interested in what others think of them, and they strive to be accepted by society. Conformists often belong to one of the broad groups or organizations that receive support and approval from society.

Catholics, Lutherans, Republicans and Democrats are examples of mass conformist groups.

When one person at a concert begins to applaud, it is almost impossible for other people not to follow suit.

Public opinion is very easy to sway. People are desperate to follow the majority. Like a sea wave, they either rush forward together, then return back. And the Master of Persuasion can take advantage of this.

Nonconformists make up about 10% of all people. They seek to rebel against social norms accepted in relatively large groups.

Nonconformists stick together. They separate themselves from the bulk of the population with its belief system. They end up establishing their own rules and regulations and thus become conformists within their group.

“Independents” tend to believe that being a conformist is bad. They rarely join together. Entrepreneurs often belong to this group. Unlike nonconformists, “independents” do not rebel against conformity: they use the standards and opinions of conformists for their own purposes.

In almost all cases of life, people try to follow generally accepted norms so that society will accept them. This is why it is so easy to whitewash people who are guided by the principle of conformity.

Summary: How to Use the 9 Laws of Persuasion

1. Law of response . - When you are given something that is valuable to you, you, in turn, feel the desire to thank and give something in return.
2. Law of Contrast . - When two objects (phenomena) differ in any way from each other, we notice this difference the more strongly, the closer these objects (phenomena) are located in time or space.
3. The Law of Friendship . - When you are asked for a favor by someone who is acting in your best interest, and/or you want him to act in your best interest, you will make every effort to fulfill his request.
4. Law of expectation . — When a person you trust expects you to perform a certain task or achieve a certain result, you will try to meet his expectations, whatever they may be.
5. Law of Association . — We usually like products, services or ideas that are supported or advertised by people who inspire us with sympathy and respect.
6. Law of sequence . - When a person, in writing or orally, declares that he accepts a certain position, he will tend to defend this position, no matter how true it is, and even if it is obvious that it is wrong.
7. Law of rare opportunity . - When the quantity of what we need is limited, its value increases in our eyes.
8. Law of conformity . — People accept offers, products and services that receive the approval of the majority of people around them or their peers.
9. Law of influence . — The degree of influence of some people on others depends on the authority, strength and competence of these people in the eyes of those who experience this influence.

The material is published in an abbreviated translation from English.

Law of Expectation

When a person in your authority expects you to perform a certain task or achieve a certain result, you will try to meet his expectations, whatever they may be.

In early January 1991, Israeli citizens were issued respirators to protect them from chemical weapons that could be used by Iraq. After Iraq fired ballistic missiles (January 16, 1991), dozens of Israelis went to hospitals complaining of the symptoms they were told about. These symptoms appear as a result of the action of chemical weapons. The interesting thing is that no chemical weapons were used that day. This example shows that the law of expectation has enormous power. In this case, consequences were observed that were directly opposite to the well-known “placebo effect” (a placebo is a harmless substance that imitates a drug in appearance).

The placebo effect is best illustrated with the following example. During the Korean War, thousands of people were injured. When morphine supplies ran out, the wounded were given a placebo (sweet pills, etc.) instead. Some reports show that 25% of soldiers who received a placebo experienced relief from pain, although there was no medical reason for this.

Law of Sequence

When a person declares, in writing or orally, that he accepts a certain position, he will seek to defend that position, no matter how true it is, and even if it is obvious that it is wrong.

President George H. W. Bush said: “You have my word that there will be no tax increases.” He had no idea how much his popularity would decline when he signed the 1990 tax bill. If a person behaves inconsistently, our trust and respect for him plummets.

President Clinton lost significant public credibility by supporting policies that were inconsistent with his campaign platform. When people see inconsistency, they start looking around for another option. That's why in 1994 the Republicans won the House and Senate majorities for the first time in forty years!