Has it ever happened to you that the teacher did not believe you, even though you spoke the law? Or did you really need him to believe, even though you were telling a lie? It's time to unlock the secrets of the psychology of persuasion. We have already talked about some of the .

The essence of the problem and its duality

What makes us believe or not believe in this or that story? That's right: the logic of the story!

Logic renders direct influence on our mind. But in order to achieve maximum effect, do not forget about the feelings that give credibility to what has been said. That is, it is always worth remembering: you can prove something, but it will not be possible to forcefully convince.

Let's take a look from the other side. If you act on feelings and do not take into account logical justifications, you will be able to convince, but not prove.

Outcome: in order for what is being proved to be convincing, and for what is convincing to be evidentiary, it is necessary to apply both logical and non-logical methods of proof and persuasion.

Justification of the thesis, in which, together with logical methods, methods of non-logical influence are used, is called argumentation.

Types and examples of non-logical tricks

The topic of non-logical devices is well covered in the subject "rhetoric" (the science of oratory). Using the methods described there, you can achieve an incredible effect:

• expressive speech,
• brighten what is said
• increasing emotionality,
• active influence on the senses.

To achieve all this, they use metaphors, epithets, repetitions, means that enhance the emotionality and imagery of the process.

There are others simple rhetorical tricks: the pace of speech and its intonation, the masterful use of pauses in speech, gestures, facial expressions, and so on.

The use of rhetorical methods is recommended only in combination with logical tricks. If you overdo it with oratorical tools and neglect logical ones, the argument turns into demagoguery - an outwardly beautiful statement, but empty in content.

Such a speech can convince, but not prove. Therefore, you will have to look for other methods of persuasion.

4 controversial methods of persuasion

• Demagogy . Its goal is to mislead by distorting facts, using flattery, false promises, adjusting to the tastes and mood of people. Demagogy is akin to populism, which is often resorted to by unscrupulous politicians. Their goal is to achieve wide publicity for knowingly false promises. The demagogue seeks to create certain mood changing people's feelings with his speech. He actively uses sophistry, deliberately violates the rules of logic by juggling facts, creating the appearance of evidence.
• Suggestion . Like the previous method, suggestion tends to use human feelings. The speaker tries to infect listeners with his emotional state, feelings and own attitude to the ideas being promoted. The intensity of passions and infection with the feelings of the speaker allows the speaker to achieve the creation of a general mental state of people.
• Infection . People are involuntarily subject to certain mental states - massive outbreaks of various mental states, which can manifest themselves during the performance of ritual dances, during panic, at the moment of sports passion. The speaker skillfully uses this susceptibility of people who are in the crowd, the mass, since it is in the accumulation of other people that every feeling or action is contagious. In the course of using this method, the consciousness of the individual disappears in people, the human unconscious prevails. Thoughts and feelings of people move in one direction, and there is also a need to immediately, without delay, implement all the ideas that have just appeared in the head.
• Sophistry . Here there is a deliberate, conscious violation of the rules of logic. The purpose of sophistry is to lead to an implicitly wrong conclusion.

There are clear rules, without which the speech may seem unconvincing or unsubstantiated.

Rules of evidence and refutation

The greatest danger in argumentation or justification is the assumption logical errors that occur when certain rules are violated.

Be careful and follow following rules basic methods of proof and persuasion.

Thesis rule

Rule #1: Thesis statement should be clear and concise. The concepts that are included in the thesis must be unambiguous, with clarity of judgment and an indication quantitative characteristics(one cannot prove that it is part of something by pretending that it is part of everything).

Why violation? Firstly, it is not specified who it is - "we". Secondly, it does not say whether they will make all or only some Russians rich. Thirdly, the very concept of "wealth" is too vague and relative - it can be both spiritual and material, a wealth of ideas or knowledge, and in the same spirit.

Rule number 2: the thesis must be stably unchanged throughout the proof. As in the previous rule, the principle of identity plays the main role here. If the thesis is not fully formulated, it is not forbidden to make clarifications in the process of proof. However, its essence and content should not change.

It is also necessary to ensure that there is no substitution of the thesis - when the proof of a new thesis is put forward to prove the originally put forward thesis. This is a big logical fallacy.

Substitution of the thesis is of two types:

1. Partial substitution of the thesis- strengthening or weakening of the thesis, changing its quantitative characteristics or replacing the concept of one volume with a new concept of another volume. Example: the softer thesis “this act is an offense” is replaced by the stronger one “this act is a crime” (or vice versa) . Why is this a mistake? Because an offense is not always a crime, but can be an administrative or disciplinary offense.
2. Complete substitution of the thesis- putting forward a new thesis, similar to the original, but not equal to it. Logical diversion is one of the subtypes of this logical fallacy. In this case, the opponent, unable to find the proper arguments to prove the thesis, tries to change the subject, switch his attention to another issue.

Argument rule

Rule #1: An argument must be true and proven by propositions. A false argument will not be able to prove or disprove the thesis put forward.

The use of false grounds leads to the appearance of a logical error, which is called the main fallacy. An argument is only an argument when it is not only true, but proven.

Therefore, if an argument cannot be proved, then it is no argument at all. If this requirement is not met, then logical error, as an anticipation of the foundation .

For example, in the past, no other arguments were required if a person admitted his guilt . It was believed that this is the best evidence. Therefore, in practice, completely used various methods effects, including physical ones. But we know that our own confession can be both true and false. So, it cannot be a sufficient basis for admitting guilt.

Modern law states that a personal confession of guilt can only be a primary charge if there is cumulative evidence in a case to support the confession.

Rule #2: An argument must be based on judgments whose truth is independent of the thesis. Sometimes, to avoid making the logical fallacy of anticipating a reason, people refer to a thesis. This is also logical fallacy "circle of evidence" - when arguments are substantiated by theses, and theses - by an argument.

A great example of a circle of evidence is when people try to prove that a person is a rational animal by the fact that he can reason. And the ability to reason is proved by the fact that man is a rational animal.

Rule number 3: the argument must be sufficient for the thesis. A logical fallacy can be a speech that has too few or too many arguments. Thus, if there are too few of them, the argument seems irrelevant to justify the falsity or truth of the thesis. If there are too many of them, the process of proof becomes unclear, it is easy to find contradictions and weak links in it.

Demonstration Rule

The rule of demonstration is the rule of inference in the form of which the demonstration is built.

It must always be remembered that there must be a logical connection between theses and arguments. If this rule is violated, such a logical error arises as imaginary following - evidence of the absence of this very connection, i.e. when the thesis does not follow from the argument.

An example of a violation of the rule of inference: the statement “he is healthy” cannot be a consequence of the statement “he has a normal temperature, since we know that many diseases occur without an increase in body temperature.

There are other demo errors:

• from what was said with a condition to what was said unconditionally- when an argument that is true only under certain conditions turns into an argument outside the context of these conditions. For example, when a doctor recommends that a patient take antibiotics, this does not mean that a sick person with any other disease must take these antibiotics;
• from separative to collective- when an argument true for a certain part is used to substantiate a thesis that belongs to the entire set. For example, the statement about the benefits of winter swimming for walruses is not unquestionably true for humans;
• from collective to divisive- when a statement that is true for a collective sense is used for a statement in a divisive sense. For example, a positive characteristic of a group of people is not a sufficient reason for positive characteristic individual representatives this group.

Using false arguments

It is also interesting that in rhetoric there are a number of rather convincing techniques that are completely rejected by logic. They are called arguments and are used in various disputes, discussions, debates of the parties in courts.

1. Lead to personality. This is the logical basis of the statement, but refers to additional tricks beliefs. It is used in argumentation (for example, in characterizing the offender).
2. Lead to the public. The speaker tries to evoke certain feelings in the public in such a way as to change their attitude towards the issue on the agenda. This argument reinforces the existing argument. But it is better not to use it without (or as a substitute for) the main proof.
3. Lead to authority. Here the main argument is the statement famous people(scientists, politicians, philosophers). Like the previous methods of persuading a person, this argument is recommended to be used as an additional, and not the main one.
4. Leading to Compassion. Often to get a positive assessment or contribute to a satisfactory resolution of the issue the person is trying to evoke sympathy or pity for himself or someone else.
5. Lead to ignorance. The prudent use of arguments that are obviously unknown to the public.
6. Lead to profit. This is based on the assumption that the arguments provided will be positively received by the listeners only because they are beneficial. For example, in the course of an election appeal, people automatically have a better attitude towards someone who promises wage increases without evidence, because the people are interested in this.
7. Lead to Strength. The use of threats to those who express their disagreement with the theses expressed.

None of these arguments is perceived by logic because the purpose of the proof is to substantiate the truth.

So, in the process of discussion, the interlocutor can use the following manipulation techniques and methods of persuasion and suggestion:

• substitution of theses in the process of evidence;
• the use of the thesis of arguments that prove nothing or are partially true under certain conditions, or the use of deliberately false arguments;
• evidence of the falsity of someone else's thesis and the correctness of their statement.

Imitation as a psychological way of influence and persuasion

There are other secrets on how to convince the interlocutor that you are right against his will. The most important method of persuasion (especially in raising children) is imitation.

Imitation is the reproduction of actions, activities, qualities of other people whom you want to be like.

Conditions under which a person wants to imitate:

• positive attitude, respect or admiration for the object;
• insufficient amount of experience in relation to the object of imitation;
• attractiveness of the sample;
• conscious orientation of will and desire to the object of imitation.

However, when imitation occurs, not only the person himself changes, but also the model. A person likes that someone is trying to imitate him. And on a subconscious level, he tries to start imitating him in response.

You can imitate and quite consciously with one of the following goals:

1. Introduction new information in the installation, the opponent's system of views.
2. Making changes to the installation system.
3. Changing the attitude of the opponent, that is, the implementation of a shift in motive, a shift in the system of human values.

When making changes to your opponent's setup system, you should know what the main setup functions are:

• fixture function- the need to achieve the most favorable position in society. Hence the innate attitude towards useful, favorable attitudes for oneself and the aversion to sources of negative incentives;
• ego-protective function- the need to maintain our internal stability, as a result of which a negative attitude automatically pops up in us towards those who can be a source of danger to our integrity. We tend to underestimate self-esteem if someone significant evaluates us negatively, so we automatically develop a negative attitude towards this person only on the basis of his attitude towards us, and not the actual presence of bad qualities;
• value-expressive function– our need for personal stability. Positive attitudes are developed in us towards persons of our own personal type. That is, if I am strong and independent, I will have a positive attitude towards the same people;
• worldview organization function- development of attitudes in relation to the existing knowledge about the world around. In our head, all knowledge forms a system, then the system of attitudes is the totality of our knowledge about the world and people with our emotional coloring. But when we encounter facts that contradict our attitudes, we automatically reject them. That is why new ideas, theories, inventions are constantly met with distrust and misunderstanding.

Basic methods of persuasion

Methods of persuasion and influence include:

1. Verbal methods, that is, words. For different people can be used different words, since everyone has only his own level of self-esteem, experience, character traits, intellectual ability, personality type.
2. Non-verbal methods: facial expressions, gestures, intonation, postures, behavior and degree of trust.
3. A specially organized activity in which a person is involved. By changing the status in the course of this activity, it is possible to change the behavior of a person, as well as his experiences, behavior, state.
4. Regulation of the level and degree of satisfaction of needs. If a person agrees that the other has the right to regulate his level of satisfaction of the need, then changes will occur. Otherwise, there will be no impact.

All these settings are interconnected, so changes do not happen quickly. But if you apply them regularly and purposefully, they will work.

So you and I have considered ways of persuading, influencing, evidence for influencing other people. But here's what you always need to remember: if you are trying to influence a person against their will, do not forget that someone else can do the same to you. You can call it karma if you like.

However, innocent pranks in communication with a teacher are so innocent that it is hardly worth experiencing pangs of conscience. After all, it is likely that the use of logical errors will help you pass the exam or even defend your diploma! If these measures do not help, you can always contact the student service, which can handle this task.

An interview in the company of your dreams, an argument with a friend who is ready for a wrong step, a big deal with a client, a conflict with a beloved man - in any of these situations, you urgently need to influence a person, convey your idea, incline to the bright side. It would be easy to achieve this if you could change it past experience, temperament and feelings for you. But, fortunately, the effectiveness of communication also depends on the mood of the interlocutors and their attitude to the topic of conversation - but you can definitely influence this.

Helped us:
Anna Poznanskaya
Psychologist, psychodramatherapist

Environment for persuasion

You probably know some tricks that help make communication more productive, but we still dare to remind you of the foundation of intelligent conversation.

1. Favorable environment. Screaming children, scurrying waiters and an icy wind are unlikely to set the interlocutor in the right mood. Although if your goal is to mislead him, difficult weather only on hand. In other cases annoying factors should not be.
2. Eye contact. The outstanding British psychologist of the 20th century Michael Argyle established that it is normal to speak eye contact takes 25-75% of the time. However, if you look at a person for more than 10 seconds, it can lead to confusion. But the reluctance to make eye contact with a counterpart will definitely be perceived as an attempt to deceive: this has been proven by psychologists at the University of Georgia.
3. Open posture. No crossed arms and legs, lowered head - the interlocutor should feel that you are pleased to talk to him. Another tricky way to arrange a person to yourself - to “mirror” his position in space. (Master his sign language.)
4. Politeness and compliments. So that praise does not look like clumsy flattery, it is better to note the merits not of the interlocutor himself, but of what is especially dear to him (for example, praise his beloved cat or a car decorated with tasteful Christmas trees).

   Another way to flatter competently is to play “minus-plus”: forcing a person to first doubt his positive qualities, and then, on the contrary, reinforcing his self-confidence (the main thing here is not to go too far with a “minus”, otherwise no “pluses” will help get rid of bad taste). For example, at an interview with a future boss, you can ask: “Does your company practice outstaffing?” And, if he starts rolling his eyes wildly, add: “Anyway, I’ve heard so much about your company that I just dream of becoming an employee!”

5. "I-messages". Instead of "You're always late, how long can you?!" it’s more helpful to say, “When you’re late, I get really upset because I don’t know what happened. I would be pleased if you called in such cases.

Subconscious belief

So that the person on the contrary does not suspect you of manipulation, act directly on his subconscious. Then, if successful, the interlocutor himself will not understand why he suddenly accepted your point of view.

This is not obvious, but an important weapon in a conversation is the voice. American communication specialist Lillian Glass, in his book I Read Your Mind, refers to colleagues who have proven that owners of loud, high voices are perceived as manipulators and nervous personalities and the quiet ones are annoying. And those bosses who believe that it is necessary to speak as quietly as possible (and then the subordinates will listen), Heinz Lemmermann refuted. In his textbook on rhetoric, he repeatedly states that the orator's speech should be sonorous. And, of course, do not forget about smiles and friendly intonation: it even affects animals, let alone people.

It is also helpful to say the name of the person you are talking to more often. Famous American psychologist Dale Carnegie argued that sound own name very pleasant for a person, because it is a sign of attention to the personality itself, and not to his status or rank. A friend is more willing to keep you company in the cinema, and the boss will reward you with a bonus if, instead of the impersonal “you” or “you”, they hear “Anechka” and “Eduard Valeryanych”. Moreover, this should be said only in a penetrating voice.

Making a person worthwhile is another weapon that hits right on target. Here phrases will help: “I would like to consult with you”, “Only you can tell”, “I can trust you” and others, after which the interlocutor will feel like a respected expert and will readily support further conversation.

The most important thing will have to be reported at the beginning and at the end of the conversation: it is this information that a person perceives and remembers best (this phenomenon - the “edge effect” - was discovered back in 1885 by German psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus).

In order not to be unfounded, trying to prove something, give examples from the life of your friends or refer to authoritative persons. The vague “I think it is necessary to lower prices” will not be taken as seriously as: “One of my acquaintances, the head of a corporation, somehow got burned by not lowering prices in time.”

And so that a person does not feel that you are burdened by another conversation about politics or other people's diapers, actively use the techniques of “understanding listening”. For a girlfriend on the verge of hysteria, a kind of smart silence with a rhythmic nodding of her head is suitable. well and if the conversation is serious and involves dialogue, you will have to demonstrate reflective listening:

• find out the details of what the person is talking about, ask clarifying questions;
• rephrase what you heard in your own words to emphasize that you caught the thought (“Did I understand correctly that you are planning to kill Oleg?”);
• summarize, summing up everything that has been said (“It turns out that you are on the verge of parting”);
• reflect the feelings of the interlocutor, voice them (“I think you are excited now”, “I can imagine how embarrassing you were”).

Who will you convince

In order for the conversation to be successful, in addition to voice manipulation, own body and someone else's subconscious, it is also necessary to clearly understand which social role your interlocutor is playing and what he expects from you.

The problem is that everyone has several roles (for example, the same man at work is the boss, at home he is a man on the couch, among friends he is a merry fellow and a joker) and sometimes his incarnations are mixed up. A director who is favorable to you may well show paternal care or become friends, and then you will have to think carefully on behalf of whom he is talking to you now. Maybe you don't have to write a formal letter asking for a pay rise?

According to the theory transactional analysis Canadian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Eric Bern, a person has 3 states: Parent, Child and Adult. Healthy communication is obtained when the interlocutors are at levels:

• adult - adult
• Parent - Parent
• child - child
• Parent - Child.

But when the Child suddenly answers the phrase of the Adult, communication becomes ineffective and leads to conflicts. For example, you are trying to dissuade your girlfriend from leaving her husband and you talk about gender differences, and she reacts with the words: “You always teach me! I'm not small, I know myself!

So there are two tasks: to understand what role your interlocutor is in, and to choose the appropriate position yourself. And since coolly and consciously choose a role only an Adult can, you should start an important conversation in this incarnation. If you feel that you are calm, ready to analyze, reason and take responsibility for your words, fully control your emotions, then you have “turned on” the Adult and you can start a dialogue.

“You can understand what role your interlocutor is in by facial expression, posture, gestures, manner of speech,” teaches Anna Poznanskaya, psychologist, psychodramatherapist. - Main the task of the Parent is control in its various manifestations (from care to overprotection). Therefore, the person in this role uses pointing or forbidding gestures and words. The Parent is also characterized by the so-called sugar-bowl posture (hands on the sides, legs apart), rigid, intonation that does not tolerate discussion. At the same time, the Parent can also have a different voice: insinuating, a little nagging, as if persuading to obey and do as he wants. Often phrases like: “You won’t get away from me”, “It will be as I say!”, “I want you to do this”, “You are nothing without me” are often heard from the Parent.

A child can be strong, mobile, open, emotional, relaxed, demanding attention. From a person in this role, you can hear the phrases: "I want", "I'm angry (I love, I'm sad)." Such a Child easily gets acquainted with new people, is sincerely interested in them, strives to start relationships, to get closer.

It happens and weak Child: it is characterized by some loss, feeling bad, unworthy, lack of desires and feelings. A person in the role of a weak child may be inclined to please the communication partner too much. as if the only way for him to feel good is to get approval from another. He may say that he does not feel anything, while at the same time being visibly annoyed or frightened. He tends to deny or ignore his desires. He can either want nothing at all, or want something that will make him good in the eyes of his mother, family, colleagues ... Pose weak child- these are shoulders and head lowered down, tension in separate parts body, decreased muscle tone.

The role of the Adult is characterized by 100% responsibility for what is happening here and now. Being an Adult, a person breathes evenly, is reasonable, calm, in his speech there are words that speak about the assessment of the situation.

If you've been following this article closely, you probably remember how important the edge effect is in conversation. So we will not contradict ourselves and finish the text Very Important Information. For a serious or difficult conversation, you need to prepare in advance. Work out ways effective communication during consultations with a psychologist or at a special training, to reflect on the characteristics of the person with whom you have to grapple with tongues, to think over a strategy - all this is a guarantee that you will come out of any verbal battle, if not a winner, then at least with your head held high.

For more than sixty years, researchers have been studying the reasons that motivate us to agree to someone's request. There is no doubt that the techniques and methods of persuading people are based on science. And in many ways this science is surprising.

We would like to think that when making decisions, we are guided by all available information. But in reality, things usually happen differently. Our life has become saturated to the limit, and now more than ever we need templates and everyday rules to make a decision.

Professor of psychology and expert in the field of social and experimental psychology- Robert Cialdini, discovered and deduced six such rules (actually there are more, and in the book The Psychology of Persuasion: 50 Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Cialdini introduces readers to a large number of them, but the main ones, according to Robert - only six), which control human behavior. Here they are: reciprocity, rarity, authority, consistency, sympathy and agreement.

Understanding these rules and being able to apply them without going beyond moral restrictions, you can significantly increase the chances of obtaining consent to your request. Let's talk in more detail about each of them in turn, and consider the experience using examples. American researchers in the field of psychology of persuasion.

RECIPROCITY

People feel obligated to reciprocate the attention or favor they have received in the past. If a friend invited you to a party, you will need to invite him over to your place. If a colleague has done you a favor, you must, on occasion, repay him in kind. Also in the case of social obligations, people are more likely to say "Yes" to those to whom they owe something.

One of the best demonstrations of the principle of reciprocity comes from a series of studies done in restaurants. For example, when you last time dined in a restaurant, it is very likely that the waitress brought you a small treat, most likely at the same time as the bill. It could be a surprise cookie or just a mint. Here the question arises - does this treat somehow affect the size of your tip? Most people say no, but mint candy can do wonders.

In a study, a treat at the end of a meal with candy increased the size of the tip by 3%. It is curious that if the treat is doubled, you are offered two sweets, then the increase in the tip increases not two, but four times - up to 14%. But the result becomes even more interesting when the waiter gives you one candy, steps away from the table, then stops and says that he has another candy for such nice customers. Tips increase by as much as 23%, reacting only to how the treat was presented.

Thus, the key to applying the rule of reciprocity is to be the first to do the favor and make it pleasant and unexpected.

RARITY

That is, people are more eager to acquire those things that are difficult to get. When British Airways announced in 2003 that Concorde's second London-New York flight of the day had been canceled due to economic impracticality, ticket sales surged the following day. Note that the flight itself has not changed - the plane did not fly faster, the quality of service did not improve, the cost of tickets did not decrease. It's just that the opportunity to use the service has drastically decreased. And as a result, demand has increased. So the technique for applying the rarity principle to persuasion is quite clear.

It is not enough to simply tell people about the benefits they will receive by choosing your product or service. It also needs to be emphasized unique opportunities your offer. Tell people what they have to lose if they don't use it.

The point is that people are more willing to listen to the opinions of trustworthy experts. For example, physiotherapists are able to convince more patients to perform the recommended sets of exercises if they hang their medical diplomas and certificates on the walls of the office. Also in the parking lot, you are more likely to move your car at the request of a stranger if he is wearing a uniform and not ordinary clothes.

The important thing here is to make it clear to people that your knowledge and experience are trustworthy before attempting persuasion. Of course, this is not always easy to do. You won't walk around potential buyers and praise yourself. However, you can certainly arrange for someone else to do this for you.

And here science makes an unexpected conclusion. If you are advertised, it turns out that it does not matter whether your agent receives a profit from this or not. So one real estate firm was able to increase both the number of real estate appraisal bookings and the number of contracts subsequently awarded by advising consultants responding to client requests to start the conversation by mentioning the experience and merits of the firm's agents. For example, to an appeal for renting out real estate, the answer was something like this: “ Let me connect you with Sandra, who has been in the rental business for over 15 years.". Clients interested in selling property were attracted by advice: “ You'd better talk to Peter, he's the head of our real estate department and has over 20 years of experience in the field". The result of these recommendations was a 20% increase in consultations and a 15% increase in contracting—not bad at all for such an innocuous method of persuading a person, which, moreover, requires no expense.

SUBSEQUENCE

People like to be consistent, both in their words and in their deeds. To achieve consistency in behavior, you need to come up with the first small thing and invite people to do it.

In one famous experiment an unexpected result was obtained. Very few residents of one of the residential areas agreed to place a nondescript wooden sign on the lawn in front of their house to support the company for road safety. And in another such neighborhood, almost four times as many homeowners agreed to put up the same sign. Why? Because ten days ago they put a small postcard on the windowsill as a sign of support for the same company. This card was that small first step that led to a quadruple effect on the second, more difficult, sequential action. Therefore, intending to play on consistency in behavior, masters of persuasion try to lead people to voluntary, active public action. In the ideal case, seeking to fix it on paper.

For example, in a recent experiment, the number of missed appointments in medical center decreased by 18%. Due to the fact that patients were asked to fill out a doctor's appointment slip on their own. Whereas before it was done by medical workers.

SYMPATHY

People are more willing to say "Yes" to those they like. But why does one person like another? Persuasion theory says that there are three main factors here:

1. We like people like us;
2. We love those who praise us;
3. We sympathize with people with whom we do one thing in common.

A series of studies on the psychology of persuading people in the process of negotiation involved students from two well-known business schools studying majoring in Master of Business Administration.

One group of students was instructed to: “Time is money, so get straight to the point”. In this group, about 55% of the participants managed to come to an agreement. The second group was given different instructions: “Before you start negotiations, try to get to know each other better and find something in common that you all have”. After that, already 90% of the negotiations were successful and gave a satisfactory result. That is 18% more for each side.

Thus, in order to use the effective tool of sympathy as a method of persuading people, one must make an effort to find areas of convergence in views. Try to express sincere praise to the interlocutor before moving on to discussing business matters.

AGREEMENT

A person is more likely to focus on the actions and behavior of other people when he himself is in indecision. You may have noticed that it's common for hotels to put cards in bathrooms encouraging guests to reuse sheets and towels. Most often, the attention of guests is paid to the fact that this contributes to the protection environment. This method of persuasion turns out to be very effective - its effectiveness is 35%. But maybe there are more efficient ways?

As it turns out, about 75% of guests staying at a hotel for at least four days reuse their towels at one time or another. What if we use the consent rule and just write about it in our card: " 75% of hotel guests reuse their towels. Please follow their example". As a result, refusals to change clothes will increase by 26%.

This method psychological persuasion says that instead of relying on one's own powers of persuasion, one can focus on how the majority behaves. In particular, such a majority, to which everyone can easily identify themselves.

So here they are, six scientifically proven methods of persuasion that are simple and often cost-effective. practical techniques that can greatly increase your ability to convince people and influence their behavior, and in a completely honest way. These are the secrets of the science of persuasion applied in various areas life, starting from simple interpersonal communication and ending with their use in advertising and marketing.

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20 ways to convince people - the ability to convince as the basis of success in business life

Not the stronger one who has great knowledge, but the one who is able to convince is a well-known axiom. Knowing how to choose words, you own the world. The art of persuasion whole science, but all its secrets have long been revealed by psychologists in an understandable way, simple rules which any successful business man knows by heart. How to convince people - advice from experts ...

• Control over the situation is impossible without a sober assessment of the situation. Evaluate the situation itself, the reaction of people, the possibility of the influence of strangers on the opinion of your interlocutor. Remember that the result of the dialogue should be beneficial for both parties.
• Mentally put yourself in the place of the interlocutor. Without trying to "get into the shoes" of the opponent and without empathizing with him, it is impossible to influence a person. Feeling and understanding the opponent (with his desires, motives and dreams), you will find more possibilities for persuasion.

• The first and natural reaction of almost any person to pressure from outside is resistance.. The stronger the “pressure” of persuasion, the stronger the person resists. You can eliminate the "barrier" from the opponent by positioning him towards you. For example, to play a joke on yourself, on the imperfection of your product, thereby "lulling" the vigilance of a person - there is no point in looking for flaws if you have listed them. Another of the tricks is a sharp change in tone. From official to simple, friendly, universal.
• Use “creative” phrases and words in communication - no denial or negativity. Incorrect: “if you buy our shampoo, your hair will stop falling out” or “if you don’t buy our shampoo, you won’t be able to appreciate its fantastic effectiveness.” Correct option: “Restore strength and health to your hair. New shampoo with a fantastic effect! Instead of questionable word“if” use a convincing “when”. Not “if we do…”, but “when we do…”.

• Do not impose your opinion on the opponent - give him the opportunity to think independently, but "highlight" the right path. Wrong option: "Without cooperation with us, you lose a lot of advantages." Correct option: “Cooperation with us is mutually beneficial union". Wrong option: "Buy our shampoo and see how effective it is!". Correct option: "The effectiveness of the shampoo has been proven by thousands of positive responses, multiple studies, the Ministry of Health, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, etc."
• Look for arguments to convince your opponent in advance, having thought through all the possible branches of the dialogue. Present your arguments in a calm and confident tone without emotional coloring without haste and in detail.
• When convincing an opponent of something, you must be sure of your point of view. Any of your doubts about the “truth” you put forward is instantly “caught” by a person, and trust in you is lost.

• Learn sign language. This will help you avoid mistakes and better understand your opponent.
• Never give in to provocations. In persuading your opponent, you must be a "robot" who cannot be pissed off. “Balance, honesty and reliability” are three “pillars” of trust even in a stranger.
• Always use facts - the best weapon beliefs. Not “grandmother told” and “read on the Internet”, but “there are official statistics ...”, “on personal experience I know that…”, etc. Witnesses, dates and figures, videos and photographs, opinions of famous people are the most effective as facts.

• Learn the art of persuasion from your children. The child knows that by offering his parents a choice, he, at least, will not lose anything and even gain: not “mom, well, buy!”, but “mom, buy me a radio-controlled robot, or at least a designer”. By offering a choice (and by preparing the conditions for the choice in advance so that the person makes the right choice), you allow the opponent to think that he is the master of the situation. Proven fact: a person in a rare case says "no" if he is offered a choice (even if it is an illusion of choice).

• Convince your opponent of his uniqueness. Not vulgar open flattery, but visibility " admitted fact". For example, "Your company is known to us as a responsible company with a positive reputation and one of the leaders in this field of production." Or "We have heard about you as a man of duty and honor." Or "We would like to work only with you, you are known as a person whose words never diverge from deeds."
• Focus on the "secondary benefit". For example, “Cooperation with us is not only low prices for you, but also great prospects.” Or “Our new teapot is not just a technological super-novelty, but your delicious tea and a pleasant evening with your family.” Or "Our wedding will be so magnificent that even kings will envy." We focus, first of all, on the needs and characteristics of the audience or opponent. Based on them, we put accents.

• Do not allow neglect and arrogance towards the interlocutor. He should feel on the same level with you, even if in ordinary life you go around such people for a kilometer in your expensive car.
• Always start a conversation with moments that can unite you with your opponent, not divide. Immediately tuned to the right “wave”, the interlocutor ceases to be an opponent and turns into an ally. And even in the event of disagreements, it will be difficult for him to answer you “no”.
• Follow the principle of demonstrating shared benefit. Every mother knows that perfect way chatting a child on a trip to the store with her - to inform that sweets are sold at the checkout with toys, or “suddenly remember” that his favorite cars were promised big discounts this month. The same method, only in a more complex execution, underlies business negotiations and agreements between ordinary people. Mutual benefit is the key to success.

• Position the person towards you. Not only in personal relationships, but also in the business environment, people are guided by likes / dislikes. If the interlocutor is unpleasant to you, or even completely disgusting (outwardly, in communication, etc.), then you will have no business with him. Therefore, one of the principles of persuasion is personal charm. It is given to someone from birth, and someone has to learn this art. Learn to highlight your strengths and hide your weaknesses.

AT art of persuasion idea 1:

Video about the art of persuasion 2:

Today there will be a topic from the field of psychology, which, nevertheless, is most directly related to the topic of achieving success and even the topic of making money: art of persuasion, psychological methods of persuading people.

To succeed in many areas of his life, a person must be able to convince other people of anything. For example, when applying for a job, he needs to convince the employer to choose him among many other candidates, when moving up career ladder- to get him promoted.

When working both for someone else and for yourself, you constantly have to convince customers and partners to purchase goods and services, to cooperate with your company. In business, you have to convince others of your idea so that people believe you, follow you, follow you, and so on.

The art of persuasion will definitely be necessary for the head of an enterprise, a middle manager, a businessman, but not only. Absolutely any person will not be superfluous to know and put into practice the methods and techniques of persuading people - this will greatly help him in life.

I want to immediately focus on important point: Persuading people and deceiving people are not the same thing., as many people think for some reason. To convince is not to deceive! This means being able to be convincing, being able to win over a person so that he believes you, but at the same time, I emphasize, you must tell the truth!

So how do you convince people? There are a great many different psychological techniques and methods of persuasion. Today, I want to look at just one of them, outlined by psychology professor Robert Cialdini in The Psychology of Persuasion: 50 Proven Ways to Be Persuasive. In this work, the author reveals dozens of effective methods of persuading people, but at the same time highlights 6, which, in his opinion, are key:

- reciprocity;

- subsequence;

- sympathy;

1. Reciprocity. human psychology of most people is such that it "obliges" them to reciprocate any pleasant actions in relation to them. For example, if someone congratulates you on your birthday, even if it gives you some small change, you will already subconsciously consider that now you must also congratulate him and give him something.

The art of persuasion involves using the method of reciprocity to your advantage. Provide the client with some pleasant service for free first, and he will feel obliged to you, he will want to reciprocate.

This method of persuasion is actively used, for example, in companies selling cosmetics: first, the client is given free samples, and then he subconsciously wants to make a purchase.

2. Uniqueness. Second effective method people's beliefs is to show them the uniqueness and exclusivity of something. Psychologically, each person wants to be unique (first of all, this applies to representatives fair half), and this can be exploited using the art of persuasion.

Everything that in one way or another testifies to the uniqueness and exclusivity will always attract people more than the traditional and familiar.

This method of persuasion can be used in a variety of interpretations. Let's take a restaurant for example. Visitors are always attracted by exclusive dishes from the chef. And if there are none, you can make a unique interior - and this will also attract visitors. And even unique service staff uniforms, unique furniture, unique crockery, unique musicians, etc. - all this will psychologically attract customers.

3. Authority. Highly important method people's beliefs. When you have some problem, some question that you cannot solve on your own - who do you turn to? That's right, to the one whose opinion is authoritative for you, to the one you consider an expert in this field. And it is not at all necessary that this person is really an expert in the full sense of the word, but it is important that he is an expert compared to you.

This technique is always actively used in the art of persuasion. To convince a person to do something, it is necessary to appear before him as an expert in this field, that is, to know and be able to do more than himself. In addition, you can emphasize your “expertise” with some external accessories - this also always acts as psychological method beliefs.

For example, a doctor in a white coat will seem much more of an authority than a doctor in a simple shirt and jeans. And if he also hangs a phonendoscope around his neck? Definitely an expert! Well, is it the same?

This method of persuading people is used everywhere in business. For example, all kinds of diplomas, certificates, awards are hung on the walls of the office - all this increases the authority of the company. In construction stores, salespeople are often dressed in overalls - this immediately makes them experts in construction in the eyes of buyers. Etc.