Dissecting Influence discusses topics in persuasion, influence, and other weird quirks about your brain. The site author is M. Kyle Craig.
From Kyle:
My interest in human behavior stems from a few painful experiences early in my career. I’ve always had an interest in how the brain works, but it was along the lines of creativity, since I’m a musician. During college, I was introduced to the topic of ‘persuasion’ in psych classes, but never took a full-on interest. During my Master’s program, I ran into related psych topics in the management classes. My interest notched up a little higher.
Right at the end of the Masters, I discovered Cialdini’s book on Influence. From then, I was a full-on convert.
Around the same time, I progressed through a series of promotions in a corporate job. The new responsibilities had me talking with customers, giving presentations, and working with industry pundits. After putting people to sleep during presentations, upsetting off my peers with my management style, and causing a few customers to go away, I decided to dedicate my time to understanding persuasion and influence. It seemed like I should try and prevent those behaviors in the future.
So, I returned to Cialdini’s book, turned to the Bibliography, and started researching those authors and topics. It’s been quite a long and exhausting trip. But, at least I’ve learned a lot.
Kyle’s key interest has been on influence and persuasion and it’s use in business and marketing.
There are 6 key areas now fueling the field:
1. Online Buying Behavior – There are many similarities between a brick-and-mortar store and an online buyer. However, there are key differences that separate the online buyer, including click behavior, eye scans, text scanning, design / layout, and navigation.
2. Group Dynamics and Influence – The advent of social networks has created an entire new marketing tool for business. Understanding the methods of influences, viral news, and social dynamics will be the underpinning to the successful use of these tools.
3. Language – The difference between buying and not buying could all lay in a single word. Language a powerful weapon in business and marketing.
4. Culture – In a shrinking world, global traits and culture will play a greater role in marketing and business.
5. Behavioral Finance – Once thought to be a purely rational science, Economics and Finance are now being bombarded with new research from the classic psychological studies on human behavior.
6. Storytelling, Myth, and Methaphor – An increasing body of research is being discovered about the power of storytelling and methaphors. It is probably the most effective sales tools today. And it’s the most underused.