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Influence - Science and Practice - The Comic
Over two million readers have armed themselves with the knowledge in this book. Dark forces seek to turn society into unthinking automatons by the use of weapons of mass influence. In this graphic adaptation of his best-seller, Robert B. Cialdini becomes society’s best hope in combatting compliance professionals throughout the world. He leads a team of special forces through a battleground filled with psychological sneak attacks designed to elicit pre-programmed responses from unknowing victims.
80 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2012
222 people are currently reading
2090 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Cialdini
69 books2,750 followersDr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.
His books including, Influence: Science & Practice, are the results of years of study into the reasons why people comply with requests in business settings. Worldwide, Influence has sold over 2 million copies. Influence has been published in twenty-five languages. His most recent co-authored book, Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive, has been on the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Best Seller Lists.
In the field of influence and persuasion, Dr. Cialdini is the most cited living social psychologist in the world today.
Dr. Cialdini received his Ph.D from the University of North Carolina and post doctoral training from Columbia University. He has held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of
Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Currently, Dr Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
Dr. Cialdini is President of INFLUENCE AT WORK, an international consulting, strategic planning and training organization based on the Six Principles of Influence.
His books including, Influence: Science & Practice, are the results of years of study into the reasons why people comply with requests in business settings. Worldwide, Influence has sold over 2 million copies. Influence has been published in twenty-five languages. His most recent co-authored book, Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive, has been on the New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Best Seller Lists.
In the field of influence and persuasion, Dr. Cialdini is the most cited living social psychologist in the world today.
Dr. Cialdini received his Ph.D from the University of North Carolina and post doctoral training from Columbia University. He has held Visiting Scholar Appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of
Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Currently, Dr Cialdini is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University.
Dr. Cialdini is President of INFLUENCE AT WORK, an international consulting, strategic planning and training organization based on the Six Principles of Influence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 5, 2016
Influence is a book that tells you how to be influential. A lot of interesting studies are included in the book.
Some of the things I have learned:
Society values people more if they appear consistent in beliefs, attitudes and deeds.
You are more likely to get help from a stranger if you if you tell them why you need help.
We live by a rule called “reciprocity.” If someone does something for you, you feel obligated to return the favor.
Another factor is called social proof. People tend to decide what to believe or how to act in a situation by what other people believe or are doing. It is most influential under two conditions. Fist, is uncertainty. When a person is unsure he/she is more likely to follow what others are doing. The second one is similarity. People are more likely take the lead from others who are similar.
If you see someone being robbed in a crowd you are unlikely to do anything about it. The reason is because you tend to automatically deduce that someone else must have already called the police. The author points out how to combat that bias if you are in that kind of situation. Identify a single person and appoint that person to call an ambulance or police. He or She will automatically help.
This may seem obvious but you will get a job, sell a product or get anything you want if you are liked. This principle holds up even if someone is more qualified for the situation.
The author states that it is hard to describe what makes a person likeable but found certain things that helps. First, being attractive looking or beautiful helps tremendously. Studies found that attractive people get lower prison sentences and more job opportunities. Second, people like other people who they perceive are like themselves.
Also the book found that people will automatically respond to someone in an Authority position no matter if the Authority figure is giving them good or bad instructions. In addition, it found that an Authority figure is perceived as tall no matter if he/she was short or tall.
There is also what is called a “scarcity principle.” If something is in a “limited number” or there is a deadline applied to the item it becomes more valuable. Two prescripts hold up in the scarcity principle. First, items become more valuable if they have become “newly” scarce. Second, the value also increases when others are competing for the same item.
Some of the things I have learned:
Society values people more if they appear consistent in beliefs, attitudes and deeds.
You are more likely to get help from a stranger if you if you tell them why you need help.
We live by a rule called “reciprocity.” If someone does something for you, you feel obligated to return the favor.
Another factor is called social proof. People tend to decide what to believe or how to act in a situation by what other people believe or are doing. It is most influential under two conditions. Fist, is uncertainty. When a person is unsure he/she is more likely to follow what others are doing. The second one is similarity. People are more likely take the lead from others who are similar.
If you see someone being robbed in a crowd you are unlikely to do anything about it. The reason is because you tend to automatically deduce that someone else must have already called the police. The author points out how to combat that bias if you are in that kind of situation. Identify a single person and appoint that person to call an ambulance or police. He or She will automatically help.
This may seem obvious but you will get a job, sell a product or get anything you want if you are liked. This principle holds up even if someone is more qualified for the situation.
The author states that it is hard to describe what makes a person likeable but found certain things that helps. First, being attractive looking or beautiful helps tremendously. Studies found that attractive people get lower prison sentences and more job opportunities. Second, people like other people who they perceive are like themselves.
Also the book found that people will automatically respond to someone in an Authority position no matter if the Authority figure is giving them good or bad instructions. In addition, it found that an Authority figure is perceived as tall no matter if he/she was short or tall.
There is also what is called a “scarcity principle.” If something is in a “limited number” or there is a deadline applied to the item it becomes more valuable. Two prescripts hold up in the scarcity principle. First, items become more valuable if they have become “newly” scarce. Second, the value also increases when others are competing for the same item.
June 26, 2014
Informatia din cartea originala este extrem de pretioasa, dar modul in care este integrata in benzile animate nu ajuta la o intelegere mai usoara, ci din contra, incurca. Oricum, pentru un rezumat animat nu e chiar atat de nereusita cartea.
November 8, 2013
A better title would have been Manipulators. Having worked in sales for years, I fear that these tactics in this book are presented not for knowledge itself, certainly not for the well-being of the consumer, but for the benefit of the salesman's bottom line.
Here are a few things I tell my friends and family to keep in mind when dealing with salespersons:
1) Notice how nice they dress. It means they don't do any real work for a living and are likely untrustworthy.
2) It's not rude to say 'No.' It's your money. You earned it. The salesman didn't. You don't owe them anything.
3) A salesman who is willing to sell you a widget today will certainly be willing to sell it to you tomorrow. Think it over.
Here are a few things I tell my friends and family to keep in mind when dealing with salespersons:
1) Notice how nice they dress. It means they don't do any real work for a living and are likely untrustworthy.
2) It's not rude to say 'No.' It's your money. You earned it. The salesman didn't. You don't owe them anything.
3) A salesman who is willing to sell you a widget today will certainly be willing to sell it to you tomorrow. Think it over.
April 3, 2021
Продовження неймовірно крутої книги "Психологія впливу" в якій автор великою мірою повторює себе додаючи практичні приклади від читачів.
September 3, 2016
Wisdom and common sense you can see now and "see" later
Some of what is in these pages was at the core of fatherly advice that my Dad drilled into me from very early in my life. Be aware of what is really happening. Eyes open. But then, OK, part of this material is new to me, at least in application to the culture I have grown up in, giving me the opportunity to think to myself, "oh...yeah...that is what is happening here. I see it now." Being a certifiable cynic all my life, I am finding what is described in this book as a light through a dark back road. It is like a roadmap through the zones of hierarchical weirdness found everywhere from the hallowed halls of supposed power to the front desk at the local big box store. The fix is in. It is all about mining the gold and managing the herd. We cynics like to think we have broken free of the immediate cluster of farm animals and discovered our unique form of resistance to the public mind massage. Sometimes yes, sometimes not so much (ba-a-a). There are predators everywhere there is a profit to be made. I have walked into many of these situations while grasping my rose colored glasses with both hands to keep them firmly on my nose. Yes I knew, on some level, things were not quite right. Did it anyway. Apparently that was the desired effect. Hindsight is better than no recognition at all, I suppose. Good book.
Some of what is in these pages was at the core of fatherly advice that my Dad drilled into me from very early in my life. Be aware of what is really happening. Eyes open. But then, OK, part of this material is new to me, at least in application to the culture I have grown up in, giving me the opportunity to think to myself, "oh...yeah...that is what is happening here. I see it now." Being a certifiable cynic all my life, I am finding what is described in this book as a light through a dark back road. It is like a roadmap through the zones of hierarchical weirdness found everywhere from the hallowed halls of supposed power to the front desk at the local big box store. The fix is in. It is all about mining the gold and managing the herd. We cynics like to think we have broken free of the immediate cluster of farm animals and discovered our unique form of resistance to the public mind massage. Sometimes yes, sometimes not so much (ba-a-a). There are predators everywhere there is a profit to be made. I have walked into many of these situations while grasping my rose colored glasses with both hands to keep them firmly on my nose. Yes I knew, on some level, things were not quite right. Did it anyway. Apparently that was the desired effect. Hindsight is better than no recognition at all, I suppose. Good book.
January 18, 2026
A funny moment was when the popular team loose just because lack of player. There is no God, but Allah SWT. Peace be upon him. Ahlussunnah wal jama'ah.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2025
Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition by Robert B. Cialdini - Summary Book Guide – this is not just a classic of psychology, but its principles have been used in marketing and sales, to name just these two – you find another look at this and other quintessential magnum opera on my blog, where the best I could do is https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20...
10 out of 10
The other review of Influence is at https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... and the old look is probably better, especially given that today I will focus on one of the principles
- The Principle of Respect for Authority
For what is on my mind now, the fall of the stock market and the rest of the chaos that is plain to see, there would have to be the Principle of Social Proof brought in here, but we will see…that is, if you stay in this corner
For about a week now, the NASDAQ, and other indexes have fallen, especially yesterday, when there has been a more than 3% correction – Tesla lost about 15%, and all I have to say for this is good – and the outlook is grim
Which brings us to the Principle of Respect for Authority and what calamitous consequences it can have, in Influence you get to read about the mass suicide that was caused by this extreme deference to an idiot who had a mass following
Today, we have the Orange Cult Leader, who promised that on day one he will bring peace in Ukraine, before he got elected, the stocks went up because they knew he would be coming, and now, look at the ‘very stable genius’
The alleged great businessman, who will bring so much prosperity, ‘winning so much your head will spin’, proves to be just a Confidence Man https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20...
- He told Congress that his first month has been the ‘best in American history, and you know who was second?
- George Washington!
This idiot is not just a fool, he is crazy and the hoi polloi have been duped, following the false authority, this made me remember The Stanford Experiment https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20...
In this study, they had some students play the role of guards and then other voluntaries take the position of inmates, and it all became a horror show, just like now, when the MAGA and acolytes have brought this maniac to the fore
We all have to watch, laugh at the preposterous painted monkey – and to think that they hate drag queens, and they worship a heavily made up drama queen – but also suffered the consequences, just like Mencken said https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... about democracy
‘On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron… Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses…’
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
10 out of 10
The other review of Influence is at https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... and the old look is probably better, especially given that today I will focus on one of the principles
- The Principle of Respect for Authority
For what is on my mind now, the fall of the stock market and the rest of the chaos that is plain to see, there would have to be the Principle of Social Proof brought in here, but we will see…that is, if you stay in this corner
For about a week now, the NASDAQ, and other indexes have fallen, especially yesterday, when there has been a more than 3% correction – Tesla lost about 15%, and all I have to say for this is good – and the outlook is grim
Which brings us to the Principle of Respect for Authority and what calamitous consequences it can have, in Influence you get to read about the mass suicide that was caused by this extreme deference to an idiot who had a mass following
Today, we have the Orange Cult Leader, who promised that on day one he will bring peace in Ukraine, before he got elected, the stocks went up because they knew he would be coming, and now, look at the ‘very stable genius’
The alleged great businessman, who will bring so much prosperity, ‘winning so much your head will spin’, proves to be just a Confidence Man https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20...
- He told Congress that his first month has been the ‘best in American history, and you know who was second?
- George Washington!
This idiot is not just a fool, he is crazy and the hoi polloi have been duped, following the false authority, this made me remember The Stanford Experiment https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20...
In this study, they had some students play the role of guards and then other voluntaries take the position of inmates, and it all became a horror show, just like now, when the MAGA and acolytes have brought this maniac to the fore
We all have to watch, laugh at the preposterous painted monkey – and to think that they hate drag queens, and they worship a heavily made up drama queen – but also suffered the consequences, just like Mencken said https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... about democracy
‘On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron… Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses…’
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
January 23, 2020
interesting stuff...
July 5, 2020
Over two million readers have armed themselves with the knowledge in this book. Dark forces seek to turn society into unthinking automatons by the use of weapons of mass influence. In this graphic adaptation of his best-seller, Robert B. Cialdini becomes society’s best hope in combatting compliance professionals throughout the world. He leads a team of special forces through a battleground filled with psychological sneak attacks designed to elicit pre-programmed responses from unknowing victims.
October 15, 2019
This book is not an option but a necessity
Don't think twice because this book explains the basics of influence in the most fun manner. The comic book form makes it easy to read and unread.
Don't think twice because this book explains the basics of influence in the most fun manner. The comic book form makes it easy to read and unread.
July 19, 2023
now I understand why I say yes even when I'm not sure, persuasion techniques are amazingly simple after you understand and learn to recognize them, my knowledge suffered a great improvement with this reading
January 31, 2018
Warning: This can seem like a horror story, when you come to realize how much "Choice Architecture" has been used to advantage of us, without us most likely not even realizing it.
March 20, 2018
I had to read this for work. It was helpful. That is all. :D
November 10, 2018
Captivating. Cialdini’s work is well known in psychology and it’s no wonder why. Simply a fascinating read.
May 20, 2019
Well written lessons of influencing and persuasion, yet I felt that the comic itself had absolutely nothing to do with the stories themselves.
August 29, 2019
Simple comic book and quirky
Great and fast read and fun and to the point. I really enjoyed it. Highly recommend to people that are visual learners.
Great and fast read and fun and to the point. I really enjoyed it. Highly recommend to people that are visual learners.
December 5, 2019
Short, clear and practical
The full book is much better, but this is a good intro. Helpful for someone trying to decide whether to buy the full book.
The full book is much better, but this is a good intro. Helpful for someone trying to decide whether to buy the full book.
January 17, 2020
This book has lots of things to teach you .
February 8, 2020
So many good examples laid here.
November 26, 2020
I hope the book is better, the comic was so boring and badly structured. It just jumped from one idea to another and it made no sense most of the times. Not recommended.
May 24, 2021
I am excited for the actual book since the comic was a bit of a dull reading experience to me.
December 15, 2023
What an amazing book!
I've borrowed it from bookester but i like it so much that i am buying it.
It tells you about 6 methods of manipulation and it's so eye opening.
I definitely recommend it.
I've borrowed it from bookester but i like it so much that i am buying it.
It tells you about 6 methods of manipulation and it's so eye opening.
I definitely recommend it.
June 7, 2016
Good way to spread the main points of Cialdini's work
For those who haven't yet read Robert Cialdini's Influence books, this comic is a quick and visual introduction to his theories about the 6 major methods of persuasion used in the world today.
Once readers learn about these 6 categories--what Cialdini's calls the "weapons of influence "--they'll start to see those methods in everyday life. Advertising, marketing, day to day interactions. And as the author points out, not every usage of these principles are bad. But without being aware of our natural tendency to take mental shortcuts (for the very legitimate reason of preserving our limited decision-making abilities), we can fall prey to those people with fewer scruples who use our psychological blind spots to our detriment.
If you're at all curious about how to better guard against unwelcome outside influences, you'll learn something from Robert Cialdini's work!
For those who haven't yet read Robert Cialdini's Influence books, this comic is a quick and visual introduction to his theories about the 6 major methods of persuasion used in the world today.
Once readers learn about these 6 categories--what Cialdini's calls the "weapons of influence "--they'll start to see those methods in everyday life. Advertising, marketing, day to day interactions. And as the author points out, not every usage of these principles are bad. But without being aware of our natural tendency to take mental shortcuts (for the very legitimate reason of preserving our limited decision-making abilities), we can fall prey to those people with fewer scruples who use our psychological blind spots to our detriment.
If you're at all curious about how to better guard against unwelcome outside influences, you'll learn something from Robert Cialdini's work!
June 28, 2016
The ideas presented were nothing extremely shocking, but I really liked the examples of experiments or persuasion tricks used in sales or other circumstances in real life. The message of the book is overall precautionary - it teaches you to recognized when you're being "bullied" into doing something by people who make use of the instinct you feel to pay back your debts and to be kind to seemingly nice people. You can say no, even if you feel pressured to say yes, and you should say no to those that deceive you on purpose.
I'm not sure I really liked the way the comics blended with the actual text of the book. Sometimes they detracted from the message because they kept on a weird parallel of going into combat or something. I have read other books that tried to educate through comics, but this one should have probably found a different method to do so.
I'm not sure I really liked the way the comics blended with the actual text of the book. Sometimes they detracted from the message because they kept on a weird parallel of going into combat or something. I have read other books that tried to educate through comics, but this one should have probably found a different method to do so.
January 14, 2015
I have always been a sucker for comic books; that too when the comic books deal with otherwise complicated (or not) theories of the social sciences. The Introducing series by Icon books and the Beginners series by Orient Blackswan have been long-time favourites.
So no surprise that Robert Cialdini's Influence - Science & Practice - The Comic caught my attention and liking. It presents the learnings and tactics of Cialdini's super bestseller of the same name in a nice to read and understandable format.
Highly recommended for anybody wishing to hone their skills of influencing others. Really!
So no surprise that Robert Cialdini's Influence - Science & Practice - The Comic caught my attention and liking. It presents the learnings and tactics of Cialdini's super bestseller of the same name in a nice to read and understandable format.
Highly recommended for anybody wishing to hone their skills of influencing others. Really!
February 1, 2017
W sumie nie rozumiem idei wydawania tego typu książki w formie komiksu. Niewiele wnosi ta forma graficzna. Natomiast same informacje zawarte w książce są ciekawe. Niektóre z opisanych zasad znałam, a niektóre były dla mnie nowe. Dobrze było sobie przypomnieć jak nie dać się zmanipulować, gdy otaczają nas różnego rodzaju sprzedawcy, akwizytorzy itp
August 2, 2016
The type is too small and there's too many words per line, which makes it a slow read. Great content, I just wish the physical book had been more standard proportions. Bigger type, smaller pages, fewer words per line, more pages in total.
November 14, 2016
Great summary of the "normal" version of "Influence". Motivated me to read the book. The cartoon style seemed a bit to me strange at first, but then I got used to it and realized it's the best way to provide the most important content in a very attractive way.
July 8, 2013
Interesting insight to how we are influenced.
August 20, 2014
Blessed that I read this one! Not that I've become any wiser :p
Amazing. Would love my daughter to read it as soon as she can put her teeth into it :-)
Amazing. Would love my daughter to read it as soon as she can put her teeth into it :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews