Summary of "6-Principles-of-Persuasion"

There are 6 principles which would help you to make people do what you want them to do, and there is no magic, only science.

The first principle is the “principle of reciprocation”. This principle we can describe in simple words as all that we give to other people will make them to return something to us. So idea is to provide information, experience, samples and so on. All that can be useful for potential target audience.

The second principle is called “social proof”. Human being in a society is tending to mirror other members of community. So the people copy the behavior of the other. Especially it applies to the close people. So our task, to persuade the target person that every people, or close people do that we want make him to do.

The Third principle is called “Commitment and Consistency”. It is principle based on the human’s psychological nature people do not like to back out of deals. We would rather make something, when we agree to do it, so to persuade people we need to make the people to say “yes” and then you will receive the respond.

The fourth principle is called “Liking”. It means that people simply often agree with people who is attractive to them or is similar to themselves. Even having the same name can increase your chances of successful persuasion.

The fifth principle lies in power of authority. Cialdini describes as people tendency to follow the lead of the real and proven experts.

The sixth principle is the principle of scarcity. It based on economical principles of supply and demand. Basically, the less there is of something, the more valuable it is. The more rare and uncommon a thing, the more people want it. Familiar examples are frenzies over the latest holiday toy or urban campers waiting overnight to pounce on the latest iPhone. (Cialdini)

In our essays we use the principle of reciprocation and authority. We use it to make people to believe in information that is given to them. And to react somehow to it. Our essays highlight some ethical issues and ways of its resolving, so one can consider them to be ethical.

1. How the author holds the reader’s interest and illustrate his/her points?

Author of the article gathered in momentum the interest of the reader by using simile from the very beginning of the article. “spectator sport” is compared to the public grooming, it is a powerful stylistic figure of speech which is aimed on attraction of reader’s attention. So, then the author refers to his past in order to make contrast between the past and nowadays. After that author describes his own example of such public grooming and using special figures of speech and informal manner describe his reaction on it. And then author tries to find a solution, but all asks fall on a deaf ears, so the question remains open.

2. If you were to post an online reader comment on this essay, what would you say?

I think, that author is right saying that public grooming is the unacceptable way of human behavior. All hygiene procedures must be taboo for all people and it is no need to show it in public places. But there is one thing. Where is the solution of the problem? Just speaking do nothing. Without it, the problem will never solve itself. We need to take some measures to prevent a repetition of such events what has been brightly described.

3. After reading this essay, do you share the author’s feelings? Has she/he convinced you that this behavior is annoying or problematic, or do you feel that the writer is over-reacting?

Frankly speaking, author was very emotional and persuasive, but predictive. All that he said is appears in the minds of people from time to time. I share the author’s feelings, because such things are really annoying and abusing, civilized society can’t stand such lack of culture. But in his reaction he was over-reacting. He said that he faced the problem in the trains. What prevents him to pass off it? But the author intentionally focuses his attention on it.