Protect yourself against the power of persuasion

How to we defend against persuasion tactics? Firstly we must identify and understand what type of persuasion strategies these people are using; and we must also not deny the fact that we are vulnerable to influences. I know, it is easier said than done... true. Let's go through some ways to build up our defenses against attacks by deceitful manipulators.

Dr Levine has identified some specific techniques on how to combat manipulation:

Stinging; as in the kind of feeling you would get after being stunk by a bee. Yes - pain, but not physical pain. Levine describes this technique as 'rubbing it in their faces' after they have been exploited by manipulation. Those manipulated are, in Levine's words, 'forced to acknowledge their own personal susceptibility'. Tests have shown that after being told they were duped, subjects became more aware, and are able to recognize manipulativeness in the experimental advertisements shown to them.

The Stinging technique has 2 advantages:

1. It motivates us to take preventive measures after being forced to see our illusion of vulnerability
2. Stinging creates an inoculation effect in us

The Inoculation Method. The Inoculation technique states that if we expose people to weak versions of a persuasive message, they will be less vulnerable, and more resistant to stronger persuasive messages later.

Levine mentioned that people from the West, like the United States, and Europe are less susceptible to persuasive messages because of their innate tendency and ability to be critical to persuasion techniques. A reason for this is in the West, people are more individualistic than their Eastern counterparts.

Whereas in the East like those from Japan and China, people tend to scrutinize less and are more open to collaboration, even if they are confronted by an opposing sales message. Because of this characteristics, those from the East are more likely to be influenced by persuasive messages. Levine mentioned, for this reason they (those from the East) 'have little opportunity to build up their antibodies for persuasive messages'. Levine further quoted, 'without a history of inoculation, they're susceptible to even small doses'.


Scripts. Scripts, as it's name implies, is the usage of rehearse scripts to avoid falling into the persuasion trap. This technique is simple to adopt if you train your subconscious to respond a certain way. For example, the practice of saying 'No' whenever you are approached by a salesman to buy something. Or giving an excuse to leave in the middle of a sales pitch. It can be done using third party as well, such as 'my wife will not approve', or 'my wife will beat the s*#t out of me if she finds out' in order to break out of the influencing process and escape with all your money in your pockets intact.


Practice Critical Thinking. Basically, think with your head and not with your heart or emotions. Too get out of that sales message trance you just have to think logically. Just like a physicist who collects data, processes them and creates a hypothesis. Here's an easy way remember how to perform this technique. Known as the PROACT method, created by J. Hammond, R. Keeney, and H. Raiffa. PROACT is the acronym for: Problem, Objectives, Alternatives, Consequences, and Trade-offs.

Basically what you need to do is:

• Define the exact problem
• Think through where you are going with this decision
• Think of alternate course of actions you can take, and also whether you would have made the decision you made without having choices
• Evaluate the consequences of the decision who'd make
• What are the trade-offs of your actions?

2 additional steps is to:

• Ask, how will your decision effect you in the future, and
• to think of future consequences after you've made the decision

Take yourself out of the context - Reframe your problems

Look at the situation in a third party perspective. Look at yourself. Levine mentions that those who are vulnerable to manipulations are those in unfamiliar situations, and/or have no clear measure of value.

As humans we tend to justify uncertainty. When we are uncertain, we are more vulnerable and prone to manipulative suggestions. Levine further advices in his book, The Power of Persuasion: How We're Bought and Sold, 'learn to recognize when people try to trap you with faulty comparisons'.

How do you do this?

Anwswer: look at the situation in different perspective, and see how different perspective effects your decision


Ask yourself discomforting questions

Do not easily react to answer a question quickly, take the time to be a contrarian or a skeptic to analyze the flip side.

Levine tells us to postpone the situation when making important decisions, and

• Search for conflicting information. Be open minded and tackle the situation in all directions
• Find a person to play devil's advocate. Ask someone to tell you why you shouldn't make that decision
• When seeking advice from others, be careful not to lead them on. Seek advice from honest and neutral opinionated people. Not from those who will agree to everything you say

Problems with following the majority

A common notion is to agree with the majority's decision. Too often we fall prey to this type of peer pressure, or conformity pressures described as 'Groupthink' by psychologist, Irving Janis.
Janis, mentions that we go through a state of self-censorship where we are hesitant to challenge the majority because of the fear of being ridicule or to waste the group's time.

Groupthink often leads people to follow the decisions of the group leader, and if the leader's opinions are deceitful, or deceptive, those in the group are likely to fall prey to such manipulations because of their heighten illusion of vulnerability.

Therefore, Levine advices to:

1. Speak your mind in such situations
2. Choose a leader who accepts different opinions and is open to criticism
3. Appoint someone as the role of devil's advocate
4. Have a cooling off period after a decision has been reached and discuss the decision made at another time