Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 3, Nos. 2 &3, 2004, Page 160
A test drive puts you in the owner‘s seat, an attachment technique. You may be asked: ―Let
me adjust your mirror‖ (169). Time favors the sale, increasing buyer commitment. The
deposit and offer goes to ―the manager‖ who counters much higher. This ―bumping‖ ends
somewhere in the middle, but usually at market price. Devaluing the trade-in (a contrast
technique) enables the dealer to recoup. Buyers are "manipulated into abiding by rules of
fairness in a game they never agreed to play‖ (177). The chapter ends with Milgram‘s
classic experiment on obedience, where most volunteers obeyed orders to jolt subjects with
what they thought were dangerous levels of current. Such is the power of persuasion.
Chapter 8 explores the progression from persuasion to compliance on the job, in church or
temple, by cults, sports teams, and even at home. The process is similar to the car selling
sequence, but with more serious aftereffects. There can be ―social proof‖ by manipulated
peers that relaxes critical judgment. You are ―spoon-fed‖ and told ―only what can be
accepted‖ (190). ―The least necessary force is applied every step of the way‖ (191).
External pressure is covert and builds up inside the person. Often you are told you‘re free to
leave, ―the illusion of choice,‖ but constraints are internalized. Patty Hearst and Marshall
Applewhite‘s Heaven’s Gate are cited as examples. Guilt and shame preserve the norm. No
smoking in restaurants is more effective by social pressure than law enforcement. There are
fewer guns in schools when fellow students were rewarded for reporting them. Zimbardo‘s
classic experiment is cited where a mock prison was set up of student guards and prisoners
arbitrarily assigned. Role play became reality. Guards became abusive and prisoners
agitated or depressed. The 2-week experiment ended in six days. Festinger‘s concept of
cognitive dissonance is described, when wrongful thinking persists despite clear factual
evidence to the contrary. Distortion and denial can lead to delusion.
Chapter 9 describes Jonestown where 918 men, women, and children ―lined up for their cup
of cyanide-laced Kool-Aid then lay down in orderly rows to die‖ (209). The vast majority did
so willingly and ―with enthusiasm.‖ The leader, Jim Jones, is quoted in chilling detail
reassuring the crowd. It would have been as effective in less than the four pages given to
it. Beyond ―the paranoia and the guns‖ is a ―super salesman‖ who used ―most every rule of
persuasion in this book, masterfully induced trust and crafted his image as a miracle
worker‖ (213). The miracles were staged and psychic powers used data obtained
beforehand. The members involved rationalized it as ―the end justifies the means.‖ New
member commitment escalated in small steps of time, money, possessions, and
participation. Conditions deteriorated over time to include public punishment and sexual
abuse. Jones explained away concerns or questions in hours-long diatribes. In the last days
there were middle of the night suicide drills where Jones would proclaim ―it was a privilege
to die for what you believe in‖ (223). The tragedy was, as Jones‘ son Stephen commented,
―he believed his own bullshit‖ (225).
Chapter 10 ends the book with ―some unsolicited advice for using and defending against
persuasion.‖ It warns that awareness is not enough and the illusion of invulnerability is a
difficult to overcome. It requires work, application, and reinforcement. ―Stinging‖ is a way to
experience being used but in a safe role play enactment. This has been an effective learning
method to guard children against being abducted. The inoculation method uses weakened
persuasion methods to sensitize against real and stronger versions. Rehearsal puts
defensive techniques into practice and more readily available. Critical thinking can be
applied by ―thinking like a scientist,‖ or reframing and challenging with conflicting
information. Group decisions are prone to pressure to conform and ―tend to be less than the
sum of is parts‖ (237). The Bay of Pigs fiasco is cited as an example. We are advised to be
aware that ―find a need and fill it‖ can be ―create a fear then offer an antidote‖ (239). We
should be skeptical but not closed to ―persuasion with integrity,‖ without deception or
exploitation (241). The author concludes ―persuasion and psychology are essential human
A test drive puts you in the owner‘s seat, an attachment technique. You may be asked: ―Let
me adjust your mirror‖ (169). Time favors the sale, increasing buyer commitment. The
deposit and offer goes to ―the manager‖ who counters much higher. This ―bumping‖ ends
somewhere in the middle, but usually at market price. Devaluing the trade-in (a contrast
technique) enables the dealer to recoup. Buyers are "manipulated into abiding by rules of
fairness in a game they never agreed to play‖ (177). The chapter ends with Milgram‘s
classic experiment on obedience, where most volunteers obeyed orders to jolt subjects with
what they thought were dangerous levels of current. Such is the power of persuasion.
Chapter 8 explores the progression from persuasion to compliance on the job, in church or
temple, by cults, sports teams, and even at home. The process is similar to the car selling
sequence, but with more serious aftereffects. There can be ―social proof‖ by manipulated
peers that relaxes critical judgment. You are ―spoon-fed‖ and told ―only what can be
accepted‖ (190). ―The least necessary force is applied every step of the way‖ (191).
External pressure is covert and builds up inside the person. Often you are told you‘re free to
leave, ―the illusion of choice,‖ but constraints are internalized. Patty Hearst and Marshall
Applewhite‘s Heaven’s Gate are cited as examples. Guilt and shame preserve the norm. No
smoking in restaurants is more effective by social pressure than law enforcement. There are
fewer guns in schools when fellow students were rewarded for reporting them. Zimbardo‘s
classic experiment is cited where a mock prison was set up of student guards and prisoners
arbitrarily assigned. Role play became reality. Guards became abusive and prisoners
agitated or depressed. The 2-week experiment ended in six days. Festinger‘s concept of
cognitive dissonance is described, when wrongful thinking persists despite clear factual
evidence to the contrary. Distortion and denial can lead to delusion.
Chapter 9 describes Jonestown where 918 men, women, and children ―lined up for their cup
of cyanide-laced Kool-Aid then lay down in orderly rows to die‖ (209). The vast majority did
so willingly and ―with enthusiasm.‖ The leader, Jim Jones, is quoted in chilling detail
reassuring the crowd. It would have been as effective in less than the four pages given to
it. Beyond ―the paranoia and the guns‖ is a ―super salesman‖ who used ―most every rule of
persuasion in this book, masterfully induced trust and crafted his image as a miracle
worker‖ (213). The miracles were staged and psychic powers used data obtained
beforehand. The members involved rationalized it as ―the end justifies the means.‖ New
member commitment escalated in small steps of time, money, possessions, and
participation. Conditions deteriorated over time to include public punishment and sexual
abuse. Jones explained away concerns or questions in hours-long diatribes. In the last days
there were middle of the night suicide drills where Jones would proclaim ―it was a privilege
to die for what you believe in‖ (223). The tragedy was, as Jones‘ son Stephen commented,
―he believed his own bullshit‖ (225).
Chapter 10 ends the book with ―some unsolicited advice for using and defending against
persuasion.‖ It warns that awareness is not enough and the illusion of invulnerability is a
difficult to overcome. It requires work, application, and reinforcement. ―Stinging‖ is a way to
experience being used but in a safe role play enactment. This has been an effective learning
method to guard children against being abducted. The inoculation method uses weakened
persuasion methods to sensitize against real and stronger versions. Rehearsal puts
defensive techniques into practice and more readily available. Critical thinking can be
applied by ―thinking like a scientist,‖ or reframing and challenging with conflicting
information. Group decisions are prone to pressure to conform and ―tend to be less than the
sum of is parts‖ (237). The Bay of Pigs fiasco is cited as an example. We are advised to be
aware that ―find a need and fill it‖ can be ―create a fear then offer an antidote‖ (239). We
should be skeptical but not closed to ―persuasion with integrity,‖ without deception or
exploitation (241). The author concludes ―persuasion and psychology are essential human
