The Power of Persuasion

A look behind the curtain of shilling and pitch to see how we are manipulated Why do some people have the power to persuade us-and why do we let them. Robert Levine offers readers a witty and incisive new take on the mindsets of those who prod, praise, and manipulate others to do things they never thought theyd do-and are sometimes later sorry they did. By attending training sessions for magicians and taking jobs as both a door-to-door and used car salesman, Levine explores the remarkable effect and power of subtlety on effective persuasion, the great illusion of personal vulnerability, and the unlikely similarities linking a wide range of persuasive strategies. Robert Levine (Fresno, CA) is Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fresno. His book A Geography of Time (0-465-02642-7) was the subject of feature stories around the world.