Influence Methods Across Time
The art of persuasion has been around for as long as humans have collaborated in collective cultures. What techniques stand the test of time? How has it evolved?
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In his 1984 book, Influence: The Art of Persuasion, Cialdini outlines 6 Principles of Persuasion that still apply to this day. They are as follows:
Reciprocity: Humans naturally try to repay favors and settle social obligations. If you give someone a personalized and unexpected gift, they will feel obligated to return the favor, even if the gift is small. For example, you could do a small favor for colleagues to build up your calling card over time.
Consistency: People like to act in ways consistent with their self-image and the past. If you can persuade someone to take a small action, they are more likely to take larger actions in the future. This principle is demonstrated through Yard Signs: if you get someone to agree to put up a small yard sign promoting a cause, you can slowly upgrade them to bigger and bigger signs over time. The same concept applies to coffee cup sizes or opinions on social issues. In the workplace, this manifests as getting someone to agree to something small, and then moving on to larger requests in terms of size or difference from their currently held opinion.
Scarcity: People want things more when they are scarce. If you want someone to want something and treasure it, make it a scarce commodity. This is the reasoning behind competing for Company SWAG, limited speaker spots at an event, or “only 5 spots left at this price.” You can also create scarcity for commodities like your time through Office Hours.
Social Proof: Humans are social creatures who conform to group norms. When making decisions, people often look to see what others are doing. This is why language like “people who purchased this item also purchased…” or “90% of guests give this hotel 5 stars” work so well.
Authority: People are more easily persuaded by individuals they see as credible and knowledgeable. Authority can also be conveyed through titles and qualifications.
Liking: People are more likely to be persuaded by people they like. When you have a strong relationship foundation through cooperation, giving compliments, or finding commonalities, they are more likely to be influenced by you.
I was intrigued by the relevance of the techniques from 1984 and as a result, dug into how influence and persuasion have and have not changed over time. The trends were fascinating.
Influence Through Time
I was curious how influence techniques have changed from prehistoric times to the modern era, and so took a deep dive with Chat-GPT and Google. Here’s what I found:
Prehistoric Times: Competence & Physical Strength
In early human history, influence and persuasion were primarily about physical dominance, survival skills, and the ability to gather resources or protect the group. Leaders of tribes were often those who exhibited the most strength or prowess in hunting.
Charisma and perceived competence (strength in modern terms) are still important in leadership. People are persuaded by those they believe can protect or lead them to success. However, physical strength alone as a persuasion tactic is much less important in modern societies. Intellectual or moral strength now holds more sway.
Ancient Civilizations: Divine Authority & Early Rhetoric
In ancient civilizations, rulers evoked divine rights and religious narratives for control and influence. In Egypt, pharaohs were considered gods. In China, emperors had a “mandate from heaven” to rule and had direct access to the gods and spirits through ancestor worship. In ancient India, kings were dharma-rajahs, or kings who upheld dharma (cosmic law and order). In Persia, kings were appointed by the god Ahura Mazda while in Israel, kings had a special divine blessing to legitimize their rule.
Along with rituals and traditions, rhetoric was also critical for maintaining authority and broad influence. Priests and Rulers were trained for many years in the art of communication. Speeches were commonly given in town halls and written down for posterity. It was a symbol of the higher class to memorize important literary works and learn the art of debate.
Today, blind appeals to divine or royal authority are much less effective in secular and democratic societies. Most expect leaders to justify authority through rhetoric and logic rather than divine right. However, collective culture and “us against them” retain a strong hold on influence.