10 checked facts

Influence

Everything on this site about influence — each one naming the study behind it.

You can be nudged by an irrelevant third option.
Consumers are more likely to pick a higher-priced item when a slightly worse version is presented as a decoy.…
You unconsciously mimic the body language of others.
People consistently adopt the postures and mannerisms of their conversation partners, a process termed the chameleon e…
A tiny, unsolicited gift alters your future decision-making process.
The reciprocity norm creates an internal discomfort that compels you to repay favors.…
You choose the middle option to avoid extremes.
A third, inferior option can make the other choices more attractive.…
You agree to big requests to stay consistent.
A 1966 study found that people are more likely to accept a large favor if they first agreed to a small one.…
Frequent repetition turns a perceived fact into public truth.
The availability cascade explains how a belief gains plausibility through its self-reinforcing repetition in social an…
A small request makes you agree to more.
A 1966 study found that homeowners were four times more likely to agree to a large, ugly sign in their yard if they ha…
You treat people based on your expectations of them.
A 1968 study found that when teachers were told certain students were academic 'bloomers,' those students showed signi…
You conform to the group to avoid social discomfort.
A majority of participants conformed to an obviously incorrect group consensus on at least one occasion, though most i…
A small favor makes a large request more likely.
A 1966 study found that people who agreed to a trivial request were significantly more likely to agree to a larger, re…