The voice of Interior Alaska since 1903 FAIRBANKS — Many of us are keeping our spending down during this economic downturn with its threat
of job loss. But we can still fall victim to a smart sales pitch. How does it happen When I went to Morocco a few years ago, even my travel agent warned me that merchants in the bazaars were experts in persuasion. I still fell into their traps. In his book Influence, psychologist Robert Cialdini identifies six weapons of influence which seduce us into buying. These are: 1. Reciprocity 2. The contrast effect 3. Commitment
4. Social proof