18 laws · Persuasion & consumer psychology
Laws of persuasion and consumer psychology
The psychological principles behind why people say yes — Cialdini's principles of influence and the behavioural-economics effects that shape every price, offer, and pitch. Use them honestly.
Law of Reciprocity
People feel obliged to return favours — when you give first, others are more likely to give back.
Scarcity Principle
People value things more when they are rare, limited, or about to run out.
Social Proof
When unsure, people look at what others like them are doing and copy it.
Authority Principle
People tend to follow and trust those who appear to be credible experts or authorities.
Liking Principle
People are more easily persuaded by those they like — people who are similar, friendly, and familiar.
Commitment and Consistency Principle
Once people commit to something, especially publicly or in writing, they feel pressure to act consistently with it.
Unity Principle
People are more influenced by those they see as part of their own group — a shared identity of ‘we’.
Anchoring Bias
The first number people see heavily influences their later judgements, even if that number is irrelevant.
Loss Aversion
Losses feel roughly twice as painful as equivalent gains feel good, so people work harder to avoid losing than to win.
Endowment Effect
People value things more simply because they own them.
IKEA Effect
People place higher value on things they have helped create, even partly.
Mere Exposure Effect
People tend to like things more the more often they are exposed to them.
Paradox of Choice
Too many options can overwhelm people, making them less likely to choose and less satisfied when they do.
Framing Effect
The same information leads to different decisions depending on how it is presented.
Weber–Fechner Law
People notice changes relative to the starting amount, not in absolute terms — a ₹50 change matters on ₹200 but not on ₹20,000.
Pratfall Effect
Competent people and brands become more likeable when they show a small mistake or flaw.
Zeigarnik Effect
People remember unfinished or interrupted tasks better than completed ones.
Ben Franklin Effect
People who do you a favour tend to like you more afterwards — asking for help can build a relationship.