Robert Cialdini on Influence, Persuasion, and How the Mind Is Programmed by Social Cues
Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing, Arizona State University. Author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. The most cited social psychologist in the field of influence.
Dr. Robert Cialdini is the world's foremost expert on the psychology of influence, whose research reveals six universal principles that program human behavior — often without conscious awareness. Understanding these principles gives you power over how your own mind is influenced and how you influence yourself.
Editorial note: Hypnothera is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Robert Cialdini. This page summarizes public work and related search intent to help readers compare hypnosis, meditation, NSDR, and guided-audio approaches.
Key Insights
Your Behavior Is Programmable
Six universal principles automatically influence human behavior — understanding them gives you power over how your own mind is programmed.
Commitment Changes Identity
Making a commitment shifts self-image to match — the act of committing is itself a reprogramming event that changes subsequent behavior.
You Can Persuade Yourself
The same influence principles that work on others work on your own subconscious — you can deliberately program your own behavior through self-influence.
What Robert Says
Cialdini identified six universal principles that program behavior: reciprocity, commitment/consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. These principles work because they exploit mental shortcuts — automatic programs that usually serve us well but can be deliberately leveraged.
Source: Influence (1984)
Cialdini's research shows that once people make a commitment — especially publicly — their self-image shifts to align with that commitment, and they behave consistently with it. This means the act of committing to a goal literally reprograms how you see yourself.
Source: Influence (1984)
Cialdini's principles work on yourself as powerfully as on others. You can use commitment, social proof, and consistency to program your own behavior — essentially persuading your own subconscious mind to align with your conscious goals.
Source: Pre-Suasion (2016)
How This Connects to Your Practice
Cialdini's research on commitment and consistency explains a key mechanism of guided hypnosis: when users commit to change in a deeply receptive state, their subconscious self-image shifts to align with that commitment. Hypnothera's sessions leverage this principle, creating powerful internal commitments that reprogram behavior automatically.
Try a Free Personalized SessionRecommended Sources
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
book · 1984
Pre-Suasion
book · 2016
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Cialdini's six principles of influence?
Cialdini identified six universal principles: reciprocity (we return favors), commitment/consistency (we align with our commitments), social proof (we follow others), authority (we defer to experts), liking (we comply with those we like), and scarcity (we value what's rare). These principles program behavior automatically.
Can you use influence principles on yourself?
Yes. Cialdini's research shows these principles work on your own subconscious as powerfully as on others. Making commitments, surrounding yourself with social proof, and creating consistency between your stated goals and your behavior all reprogram your subconscious alignment.
How does influence psychology relate to hypnosis?
Guided hypnosis leverages several of Cialdini's principles: commitment (making declarations in a receptive state), consistency (aligning subconscious beliefs with conscious goals), and authority (guided by a trusted voice). These principles operating in a deeply receptive state make hypnotic suggestion especially powerful.
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