Question

Robert Cialdini presents six weapons of social influence. Describe in detail the characteristics of each one in your own words.

Answer 1

Dr. Robert Cialdini author of Influence elaborates the six principles that would help one persuade others easily such as Reciprocity, Scarcity, Authority, Consistency, Liking and Consensus. All of these are really important in order to make one believe and do things in one’s favour because one of the most important issues one would face in life is persuading and making others believe in what one likes to do.

Reciprocity refers to the give and take policy. If one gives another something, in a natural set-up the second person is expected to give it back when the right time comes. People get convinced when other people when they return the favors.

Scarcity refers to the lack of availability of something persuades people to listen to one. For example if there is no electricity at one area and the authorities say electricity will be given only when the streets are clean, people will definitely do that because scarcity of electricity becomes very inconvenient today.

Authority is one of the most common principle for one to persuade others because whether people like it or not it’s their obligation to obey to things which the authority demands.

When one likes something which the speaker proposes, it would become very easy to persuade them. Political leaders in their agenda, tries to promise certain things which the voters like thus persuading them very easily.

Building consensus is yet another principle to persuade others. If one is able to bring more like minded people, others will follow suit. Most of the time individual groups try to lobby and get enough support to persuade the government to act in favour of them.