Yes!
Most of us are only too aware that, whatever roles we have in today's fast-moving world, much of our success lies in getting others to say 'Yes' to our requests. What many people might not be aware of, though, is the vast amount of research that has been conducted on the influence process. What factors cause one person to say 'Yes' to the request of another? Yes! is full of practical tips based on recent academic research that shows how the psychology of persuasion can provide valuable insights for anyone interested in improving their ability to persuade others - whether in the workplace, at home or even on the internet. It combines the counter-intuition of Freakonomics with the popularising of Does Anything Eats Wasps? For each mini-chapter contains a mystery which is solved in a way that provides food for thought for anyone looking to be more persuasive, and for anyone interested in how the world works.
Stats for nerds
6recommend
8mentions
8people
2008–2015years
75% recommend25% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- It's mentioned in "Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive"[1], which despite the title, is a really interesting book. The Freakonomics blog quotes it here:
http://freakonomics.com/2009/04/24/yes-part-ii/
referencing this paper "Why Susie Sells Seashells by the Seashore: Implicit Egotism and Life Decisions" http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/stuff_for_blog/susie.pd...
[1]http://www.amazon.com/Yes-Scientifically-Proven-Ways-Persuas...
- >Is there any evidence to show that signing a petition makes a person more inclined to take additional practical action?
Yes, there is some evidence. In Chapter 3 of Influence: Science and Practice, Robert Cialdini discusses this kind of self-image effect, citing several studies including one in particular about petitions[1]. These kinds of "commitments" (even though they are not actually binding) really do affect our behavior, although the end results are not necessarily particularly issue-focused or predictable.
One thing we can say though with some certainty: if you convince someone to sign their name to a petition that says "stop X", it will take significant mental effort for them to later decide that they actually support X.
- Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive : by Noah Goldstein & Robert Cialdini - Short Read.
Your Marketing Sucks - Mark Stevens - Short Read.
Persuasion Mastery: 500 Practical Lessons In The Psychology Of Sales - Stephen Thieme - Long One:)
- This was one of the first books I read as a copywriter, it's a tremendous reference and because it's based on human nature, it's timeless.
Cialdini's more recent collaboration - Yes! - is also interesting, rehashes the basic principals, but then adds in some more current research, scenarios and applications.
- I am taking a negotiation class right now and we are using the three books listed below. The professor is really great, and the books are not boring college textbooks - they're really engaging and I'd read them on my own if I wasn't taking the course, too.
"Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive" by Goldstein, Margin, & Cialdini is a great book on influence and persuasion.
Cialdini is a great resource for influence/negotiation in general, so look for other articles/books written by him.
"Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions" by Ariely is a great book on behavioral economics
"Negotiation" by Lewicki, Saunders, and Barry
- Yes, it's such a great book that I feel compelled to order the new one, despite the fact that Cialdini appears to have farmed out the writing to others and to have descended into self-parody in the video on that Amazon page.
