Robert Cialdini

Robert Beno Cialdini was born on April 27, 1945. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1967, a PhD in social psychology from the University of North Carolina in 1970, and completed postgraduate training at Columbia University. He held visiting scholar positions at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. Cialdini served as Regents' Professor of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University, retiring as Regents' Professor Emeritus. Cialdini's career focused on scientific research into why people say 'yes' to requests, blending undercover fieldwork in used car dealerships, fundraising organizations, and telemarketing firms with peer-reviewed studies. This culminated in his 1984 groundbreaking book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, which outlined six principles of influence: reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. In 2016, he added a seventh principle, unity, emphasizing shared identity as a persuasive force. His work has been cited more than any other social psychologist in influence and persuasion fields. Beyond academia, Cialdini founded INFLUENCE AT WORK as CEO and President, delivering ethical influence training, keynote speeches, and the Cialdini Method Certified Trainer (CMCT) program to major clients including Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, KPMG, NATO, and the U.S. Department of Justice. His books, including the New York Times bestseller Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade (2016), have sold over 7 million copies in 44 languages. In recognition of his contributions to behavioral science, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2018 and the National Academy of Sciences in 2019.