Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion — Full Rundown (2026)

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Robert Cialdini's Influence is one of the most cited books on persuasion psychology, built around research-backed "principles" that explain why people say yes to requests. This page is based on the publisher's description and publicly available reviews; we haven't published a full read-through review of this title yet.

Who it's for

Good fit for marketers, salespeople, negotiators, and anyone who wants to understand persuasion tactics — both to use them ethically and to recognize when they're being used on you. Skip it if you want a quick-tactics list rather than the underlying psychology; this book goes deep on the "why," not just the "what."

What it covers

The book is built around Cialdini's well-known principles of influence: reciprocity, commitment/consistency, social proof, liking, authority, scarcity, and (added in this expanded edition) unity. Each is grounded in decades of the author's own academic research plus real-world case studies of how these principles show up in sales, marketing, and everyday persuasion.

What to know before buying

This is an academic-adjacent book by a research psychologist, not a quick "how-to" — expect denser writing and citations to actual studies rather than a breezy business-book pace. The "New and Expanded" edition adds the unity principle and updated examples; if you've read the original, the additions are the main reason to consider the newer edition.

Bottom line

For understanding the actual psychological mechanisms behind persuasion — not just tactics to copy — this remains one of the most substantive books in the category.

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The Workflow Guide publishes independent research on tech tools, gear, and books for professionals. This page is based on the publisher's description and publicly available reviews, and is reviewed by our editorial team before publishing.