Farnam Street
Mastering the best of what other people have already figured out
The Monitor spoke with Robert Cialdini, who wrote the now infamous Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, about his work and its influence. At one point in the interview, Cialdini talks about the best way job-seekers can use persuasion to …
Last week I picked up a copy of Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work and found myself quickly immersed. On the surface psychopaths appear normal, sane, and in control; in fact, many are quite likable. However, as The Mask of Sanity …
The IKEA effect is a super-interesting part of our psychological wiring that has all sorts of implications. In short, basically, people who voluntarily undergo a great deal of pain, discomfort, or effort to get something will be …
Paying attention to what your customers and clients see can be a very effective way to increase your influence and, subsequently, your business. Steve Martin, co-author of Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion, tells the story: A …
Social dilemmas arise when an individual receives a higher payoff for defecting than cooperating when everyone else cooperates. When everyone defects they are worse off. That is, each member has a clear and unambiguous incentive to make a …
Predictably Irrational is a fascinating examination of why human beings are wired and conditioned to react irrationally. We human beings are a selfish bunch, so it’s all the more surprising to see how easily we can be manipulated to …
Noah Goldstein’s, Steve Martin’s and Robert Cialdini’s Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive is a pop psych book, where a bunch of research in psychology is distilled into one readable volume. 50 …
Reading The Invisible Hook really got me hooked on learning more about pirates. How do pirates decide what ransom to ask for? The answer, from an interview with an actual pirate, might surprise you. Despite what many think, they are very …