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.