HR101

Psychology in Organisations
Influencing skills
Dr. Xuchang Zheng
Q243
DCU Business School
Influencing (persuasion)
The process by which attitudes are changed.
• Epiphanies are rare
• Influencing is a gradual process consisting of small movements.
Cognitive approach
Elaboration likelihood model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986)
Cognitive miser
Copy-machine Experiment (Langer, Blank & Chanowitz, 1978)
Compliance as a function of favour asked and condition
Principles of influencing
 Reciprocity

 Consistency

 Social proof

 Liking

 Authority

 Scarcity
Reciprocity
People repay, in kind, what another person has provided us
An overpowering rule that enforces uninvited debts
Examples:
• Free “gift” in the post/before the bill
• Research survey with a cheque
• Reciprocity/Concessions in negotiations
Reciprocity
People repay, in kind, what another person has provided us
An overpowering rule that enforces uninvited debts

Defence:
Decline the gift (tricky)
Accept, but be wary
Prepare an excuse or reconsider the motive
Use organisational boundary to limit the offer
Consistency & Commitment
People align with their clear commitment
Commitments are most effective when they made public, effortful, and
appears to be uncoerced.
Examples:
• Yearly subscriptions
• Signature on petition
• Foot in the door technique
• Car stickers
Organ donation
Consistency & Commitment
People align with their clear commitment
Commitments are most effective when they made public, effortful, and
appears to be uncoerced.

Defence:
Ignore sunk cost
Have a third-party mediator
Avoid public commitment unless you are certain
Have an alternative option
Social proof
People follow the lead of similar others
We use others actions to decide on proper behaviour for ourselves
when uncertainty reigns
Examples:
• Laugh tracks
• Auctions
• Half-full tipping jar
Goldstein, Cialdini, & Griskevicius (2008)
Hotel Towel Reuse
Typical in-room appeals Environmental protection

Help save the environment

The environment deserves our respect. You can show your respect for nature and
help save the environment by reusing your towels during your stay.

Social Consensus Focus

Join your fellow guests in helping to save the environment

Almost 75% of guests who are asked to participate in our new resource savings
program do help by using their towels more than once. You can join your fellow
guests in this program to help save the environment by reusing your towels during
your stay.
Social proof
People follow the lead of similar others
We use others actions to decide on proper behaviour for ourselves
when uncertainty reigns

Defence:
Understand your motive for doing something; be “cool”
Liking
People like those who like them or/and are attractive
Physically attractive, similar to us, familiar, complement us, are
associated with positive outcomes
Example:

Chance of winning the Presidential election

• Taller candidate: 64%
• Shorter candidate: 29%

High office
Liking
People like those who like them or/and attractive
Physically attractive, similar to us, familiar, complement us, are associated
with positive outcomes

Defence:
Focus on the target qualities that are relevant to the problem solving
Invite opinions from people who are neutral or disagree with the target
Blind screening
Authority
People refer to “experts”
Tendency to respond to mere symbols of authority such as titles and
trappings.
Example:
• Leader-follower dynamic
• Uniform
• Line operator introducing colleagues’ experience and expertise
Milgram experiment
15V 20V 25V 30V … … 350V 400V 450V
XXX
Stanford prison experiment
Authority
People refer to “experts”
Tendency to respond to mere symbols of authority such as titles and
trappings.

Defence:
Question whether the authority is actually legitimate
Beware of our own authority may deter creativity and innovation
Scarcity
People want more of what they can have less of
we tend to adding more value to opportunities when they are less available
Examples:

• “Limited edition!”
• “2 seats left!”
• Auction fever
• Open houses
Scarcity
People want more of what they can have less of
We tend to adding more value to opportunities when they are less
available

Defence:
Be aware of an adrenaline rush – take a pause, have a break
Re-examine one’s motivation
How we say things is as important as what we say
Robert Beno Cialdini (1984; revised 1993).