Rina Shah

An avid reader for as long as she can remember, Rina’s love for books began with The Boxcar Children. Her penchant for always having a book nearby has never faded, though her reading tastes have since evolved. Rina reads around 100 books every year, with a fairly even split between fiction and non-fiction. Her favorite genres are memoirs, public health, and locked room mysteries. As an attorney, Rina can’t help analyzing and deconstructing arguments in any book she reads.

Consistency Bias: Don’t Double Down on Bad Decisions

Do you feel confident after you’ve made a decision? Even if you were uncertain when weighing options, do you feel committed once a choice has been made? You may be experiencing a consistency bias that stops you from seeing that you made a bad decision. The consistency bias is your inability to see flaws because you’re blinded by the desire to be consistent with previous actions. Behavioral consistency can be contradictory to what is rationally the best decision. Learn how to combat the consistency bias.

Symbols of Authority: Your Title Matters More Than Your Job

Have you ever seen a job title that really impressed you? How do you respond to instructions from someone in uniform? What do you think of someone dressed in a suit versus someone in casual clothes? Title, uniforms, and other clothing are all symbols of authority. Symbols of authority are things like titles, uniforms, and insignia, which can all signal a person is in a position of authority. People are hard-wired to comply with requests that come from an acknowledged and accepted source of authority. See how compliance professionals use the appearance or suggestion of authority to force you to

Reciprocity Marketing: Your Free Trial Isn’t Really Free

Have you ever used a free trial period? Did you cancel before paying for the real subscription? Or did you feel like you should at least give them something if you got something for free? This reciprocity marketing strategy relies on you feeling obligated. Reciprocity marketing is a sales strategy in which something free is offered in the hopes of creating a reciprocal obligation. It’s harder to say no to someone after they’ve offered you something first. See when something is a genuine offer and when it is reciprocity marketing.

Authority Principle: Your Boss Is Right Even When He’s Wrong

Do you do as you’re told? Are you more likely to follow instructions from your doctor, manager, teacher, or a police officer? The authority principle of persuasion explains our instinctive deference to people with power or expertise. The Authority Principle is the theory that people are hard-wired to comply with requests that come from an acknowledged and accepted source of authority. While authority was important for the development of civilization, it can also be manipulated. Learn about where the need for authority came from and how authority influences you.

Why Do You Want What You Can’t Have? The Scarcity Principle

Have you ever bought something just because it was on sale and you didn’t want to miss the good price? What about buying something just because you think it’s rare? The Scarcity Principle of persuasion makes us want what we think we might not be able to have. The Scarcity Principle is a theory that says people find more appealing those things with limited availability. When something is or seems rare, you are more likely to want it. Learn about scarcity and how it affects your decisions.

Psychological Reactance: Why You Want That Forbidden Fruit

How do you react when you’re told you can’t have something? Do you accept it or do you want it more? What if someone tries to take away something you have? When your choices are limited you may experience psychological reactance. Psychological reactance is the negative response you have when your choices are limited outside of your control. It comes from wanting to avoid loss. See how your fear of losing options influences your decisions with examples including the Romeo and Juliet effect.

Are You a Sucker? How to Avoid Being Manipulated

Have you ever thought that someone was trying to trick you? Could you tell they were using persuasion tactics to convince you? Do you know how to avoid being manipulated? Compliance practitioners are professional persuaders. They are able to manipulate you into agreeing even if you are trying to avoid manipulation. For each of the six principles of persuasion, there are key strategies to learn if you want to know how to avoid being manipulated.

Commitment and Consistency: Are You Loyal to Bad Ideas?

Have you ever followed through on a decision even if you doubted it? Maybe you felt like it was too late or you were already in too deep. Maybe you didn’t want to look like a flip-flopper. You were probably being driven by commitment and consistency principles. The Consistency Principle of persuasion is the tendency for humans to commit to a course of action or to a belief and to pressure themselves to conform to that commitment. Learn how the commitment and consistency are used to manipulate you through a consistency concept example.

The Psychology of Scarcity Is Messing With Your Mind

Have you ever gone to the store to buy something only to find it sold out? What do you do the next time you find it in stock? Do you purchase extra? That’s the psychology of scarcity at work. The psychology of scarcity is a theory that explains how shortages or perceived shortages influence behavior. If you find yourself in a scarcity mindset, you may buy irrationally. See the conditions under which the scarcity effect thrives and understand how the psychology of scarcity might be driving your decisions.

These Social Proof Examples Show How You Become a Lemming

Have you ever been drawn to a crowd just because there was a crowd? Do you ever find yourself buying something based on its popularity? How about laughing when everyone else laughs even if you didn’t get the joke? These situations are all social proof examples. The Social Proof Principle is a theory stating that you decide what’s correct based on what other people think is correct. This theory is often used to sell products by showing how popular they are with other people. Learn with social proof examples and see when the social proof principle of persuasion might lead