“The principle of Liking highlights the power of relationships in our decision-making process. We are naturally inclined to be influenced by those we feel connected to and trust.” Robert Cialdini, InfluenceAtWork.com Did you ever wonder why certain people, products, and ideas...
“Once we have made a choice or taken a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment.” Robert Cialdini, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” Have you ever found yourself sticking to a commitment, even when it...
“The results, as I observe them in the laboratory, are disturbing. A substantial proportion of people do what they are told to do, irrespective of the content of the act and without limitation of conscience. So long as they perceive the command comes from a legitimate authority.” These are...
“Opportunities seem more valuable to us when their availability is limited.” Robert Cialdini, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” The last time you bought anything online, there’s a good chance the website read, “Only 3 items in stock” or “Only 2 left at this price”...
What do you do if you walk down the street and see a group of people looking up in the air? Exactly. What they do. What if the culture at your job is to work long hours? You will likely put in more hours, too. We mirror what others do because it’s hard work to constantly...
“The rule says we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us.” Robert Cialdini, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” It feels great to receive. But why do you always feel that you must return the favor? Reciprocity is the human obligation to give, to receive...
Clear thinking is an art. That’s why so many people fail at it. We are all prone to cognitive biases, which are errors we make in our everyday thinking. I hope you accept my warm welcome to this collection of 12 cognitive biases that can really mess up your decision-making, screw...
A few years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 ‘I don’t give a shit.’ I’m afraid it’s terminal. Let me clarify. It’s not that I don’t care about anything, you know, like a pimpled teenager. But at some point, my mid-thirties thick and balding...
You and I have to make our minds up on many things to save time and energy. We accumulate shortcuts for decisions and beliefs to avoid a mental meltdown. During this intuitive process, confirmation bias lends you a helping hand. I bet you can answer these without blinking: Are cats better...
Germany, late 1990s. Psychologist, and Nobel Prize winner, Daniel Kahneman asks a group of German students: How happy are you these days?How many dates did you have last month? The results showed no correlation between the students’ happiness and the number of dates. That was until Kahneman...