Cialdini Bad Influence Essay

SOCIAL INFLUENCES
Cialdini’s 7 principles

1. Automaticity
Consumers, in a low involvement situation, Behave in an automatic way, ‘mindlessly’
Heuristics (mental shortcuts)
Prediction, for likelihood judgements
Anchor-adjustment; adjusting according to a number given even if it has nothing to do with the prediction
Persuasion, for attitude, beliefs
Price-quality (naturally think higher price = better quality), advertized products and those with endorsements are of better quality
Influence for behaviour
Even poor reasons are accepted because they sound legitimate to a person in a ‘mindless state’
Placebo information is when you have no real reason but rather, you are just using the word ‘because’ to sound like you have a reason.
Commitment and consistency
People wish to appear committed and consistent
Foot in the door technique
Ask for small favour then ask for a bigger one, they are more likely to adhere to the big request because they want to appear consistent (since I have accepted the first, I will accept the next)
Low-balling technique
‘bait and switch’, consumers whom have already decided on a purchase and committed to it may still go through with the purchase even if conditions are changed (or you hide certain conditions from the consumers, but if they have already agreed to your request they are more likely to accept the ‘new conditions’ you mention) you continue feeling obliged to accept the terms because you want to appear consistent. You would never have agreed to the ‘new conditions’, but because you have already committed to it, you agree to the ‘new conditions’.
Commitment makes consumers think of several reasons favouring choice (‘mere thought’ effect)

3.
Red for danger, stop signs
Crescive norms are discovered as we interact with people in the culture
Customs: norms handed down from the past that control basic behavior
E.g. How do you greet each other in public? (some kiss as a form of greeting, some females do not shake hands w males)
How do you celebrate various ceremonies (e.g. first year birthday)
Mores: custom with a strong moral overtone
E.g. holding hands in public may be frowned upon in some places
Conventions: norms regarding the conduct of everyday life
E.g. order of serving various courses in a meal (e.g. soup first in Western meals); using “Madam” versus “Mrs.” in Singapore as a prefix for a married woman

CULTURE AS PROCESS OF TRANSFERRING MEANING TO PRODUCT/BRAND knowing their culture is important because sometimes, we can combine them in the means-end chain (means to end chain) a knowledge structure that links consumers’ knowledge about product attributes with their knowledge about consequences and