Linda’s Reviews > Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion > Status Update

“Certain nightclub owners manufacture a brand of visible social proof for their clubs’ quality by creating long waiting lines outside when there is plenty of room inside.”

“We view a behavior as correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.”

“In referring to the fierce loyalty of Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners, one commentator has said. ‘If you can persuade your customers to tattoo your name on their chests, you’ll probably never have to worry about them shifting brands.’”

“Within the realm of compliance, securing an initial commitment is the key.”

“It should come as no surprise that people with a particularly strong proclivity toward consistency in their attitudes and actions fall frequent victim to consistency-based influence tactics.” Avoid foot-in-the-door or low-ball techniques.

“I have discovered a way to handle people who try to use the consistency principle on me. I just tell them exactly what they are doing.” Trying to trap people with their own words is just as bad, if not manipulatively worse, than affirming the principle of consistency. If only because it doesn’t fit the Golden Rule.

“We must be wary of the tendency to be automatically and unthinkingly consistent, for it lays us open to the maneuvers of those who want to exploit the mechanical commitment-consistency sequence for profit.”

The stupidity of hazing is that it enhances the group’s attractiveness by the Hell Week humiliation and degrading activity requirements. “one study of 54 tribal cultures found that those with the most dramatic and stringent initiation ceremonies were those with the greatest group solidarity”. Severity heightens commitment.

Reduce chances of a hung jury by secret ballot initiatives rather than a show of hands.

If “public commitments tend to be lasting commitments “, why does this principle fail so spectacularly with politicians? They make so many fake promises that one more broken promise won’t matter? They don’t gain any social credit for the promises they do keep?