Influence Psychology Framework

Framework for applying the science of persuasion ethically and effectively. Based on six decades of research into why people say "yes" and what makes them comply with requests.

Core Principle

People don't make decisions rationally. They use mental shortcuts (heuristics) that can be triggered to influence behavior. These shortcuts evolved because they're usually reliable—but they can also be exploited.

The foundation: Understanding the psychological triggers that drive human compliance allows you to design products, messaging, and experiences that naturally align with how people actually make decisions.

Scoring

Goal: 10/10. When reviewing or creating persuasive elements (features, copy, flows, campaigns), rate them 0-10 based on adherence to the principles below. A 10/10 means ethical, effective application of influence psychology; lower scores indicate missed opportunities or ethical concerns. Always provide the current score and specific improvements needed to reach 10/10.

The Seven Principles of Influence

1. Reciprocity

Core concept: People feel obligated to give back to others who have given to them first.

Why it works: Humans are wired to avoid being indebted. The obligation to repay is so strong that it can overpower other factors like personal preference or fairness.

Key insights:

• The gift must come first (before the request)
• Personalization increases power
• Unexpected gifts are more powerful than expected ones
• Even small gifts create obligation
• The return favor often exceeds the original gift

Product applications:

Copy patterns:

• "Here's a gift for you..." (before asking)
• "We've upgraded your account..."
• "As a thank you for signing up..."
• "We noticed you needed help with X, so we..."

Ethical boundary: Give genuine value. Don't create artificial debts or explo