Key Takeaways
- Twenty practical psychology-based strategies to build rapport, guide decisions, frame perception, and communicate with more ease and warmth.
- Grouped for clarity and flow; rewritten in natural English; every original idea preserved.
- Use ethically: to understand and connect—not to manipulate.
Building Trust and Rapport
The Franklin Effect
When someone does a favour, that person often likes the recipient more afterward (translated from Spanish).
Try this: ask for a small, sincere favour to open the door to goodwill.
Using First Names
Hearing one’s own name increases attention and closeness (translated from Spanish).
Try this: use the other person’s name naturally at key moments in the conversation.
Body-Mirroring
Subtly aligning posture and gestures fosters non-verbal rapport (translated from Spanish).
Try this: mirror pace and openness—never mimicry.
Gradual Self-Disclosure
Sharing small, appropriate personal details invites reciprocity and trust (translated from Spanish).
Try this: offer a brief anecdote that signals openness.
Influence Through Choice and Commitment
Foot-in-the-Door Technique (FITD — Foot-in-the-Door Technique)
Start with a small request; after acceptance, follow with a larger one (translated from Spanish).
Try this: ask for a quick review first, then request deeper help.
Invisible Reciprocity
Giving first (a compliment, small help) creates an impulse to reciprocate (translated from Spanish).
Try this: offer a useful resource before asking for support.
Illusion of Control
Providing even minimal choice increases ownership and satisfaction (translated from Spanish).
Try this: offer two viable options instead of one fixed path.
Consistency Norm
After an initial “yes,” people tend to act consistently with that decision (translated from Spanish).
Try this: secure a small commitment, then build gradually.
Framing Perception and Decisions
Anchoring of Prices and Ideas
First numbers or ideas set the reference point for comparison (translated from Spanish).
Try this: present the high-effort route before the moderate one.
Contrast Effect
A moderate option looks better after a weaker one (translated from Spanish).
Try this: show a basic version first, then the primary offer.
Paradox of Choice
Too many options make decisions harder and satisfaction lower (translated from Spanish).
Try this: curate two or three strong choices.
Psychological Distance Effect
Distant problems feel less urgent; making them feel near boosts action (translated from Spanish).
Try this: ask, “What can be done today?”
Presence, Information Flow & Memory
The Power of Silence
Well-placed silence encourages others to elaborate (translated from Spanish).
Try this: pause after key questions and let the other person speak.
Primacy and Recency Effect
What comes first and last sticks best (translated from Spanish).
Try this: open and close with your core message.
Halo Effect
A strong first impression colours later judgments (translated from Spanish).
Try this: lead with calm confidence and warmth.
Mere Exposure Effect
Familiarity increases liking over time (translated from Spanish).
Try this: create gentle, repeated contact points.
Deeper Psychological Mechanisms
Cognitive Dissonance
People align beliefs with actions to reduce internal tension (translated from Spanish).
Try this: invite a small, public commitment that supports shared values.
Pygmalion Effect
Clear, positive expectations can lift performance (translated from Spanish).
Try this: articulate specific belief in the other person’s capability.
Commitment Escalation
Investment makes quitting harder—even when logic changes (translated from Spanish).
Try this: design meaningful first steps that build momentum.
Verbal Mirror Effect
Echoing key words helps others feel understood (translated from Spanish).
Try this: paraphrase thoughtfully: “So you’re saying…”
Using These Strategies with Integrity
These tools work best when guided by empathy and respect. Aim to understand needs, reduce friction, and make collaboration easier—never to coerce.
Translations & Term Explanations (each item translated from Spanish)
The Franklin Effect
A person who has done a favour for someone is more likely to do another favour for that same person.
Foot-in-the-Door Technique (FITD — Foot-in-the-Door Technique)
Gaining compliance by first securing agreement to a small request, then a larger one.
Anchoring of Prices (and Ideas)
Early numbers or ideas set a comparison reference that shapes later judgments.
The Power of Silence
Strategic pauses that invite the other person to speak more and reveal information.
Body-Mirroring
Discreetly aligning posture and gestures to build non-verbal rapport.
Mere Exposure Effect
Repeated exposure to a stimulus increases familiarity and liking.
Using First Names
Including a person’s name in conversation increases attention and closeness.
Paradox of Choice
Too many options impede decision-making and reduce satisfaction.
Halo Effect
A single positive trait biasing the overall evaluation of a person or thing.
Invisible Reciprocity
Receiving a benefit creates an unconscious impulse to give something back.
Cognitive Dissonance
Discomfort from inconsistency among beliefs, words, and actions that prompts change.
Primacy and Recency Effect
Early and final information is remembered best.
Pygmalion Effect
Expressed expectations from others can raise (or lower) performance.
Commitment Escalation
Prior investment increases the likelihood of continued commitment.
Illusion of Control
Offering choice increases perceived autonomy and ownership.
Contrast Effect
Perception shifts based on immediate comparison.
Gradual Self-Disclosure
Small, authentic personal revelations that invite reciprocal sharing.
Consistency Norm
A prior “yes” increases the chance of subsequent “yeses.”
Verbal Mirror Effect
Repeating or paraphrasing key words to convey accurate understanding.
Psychological Distance Effect
Near-term framing makes action feel more urgent and feasible.
Sources
- Ben Franklin Effect — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_effect
- The Ben Franklin Effect — Farnam Street: https://fs.blog/the-ben-franklin-effect/
- Halo Effect — American Psychological Association (APA — American Psychological Association) Dictionary: https://dictionary.apa.org/halo-effect
- Mere-exposure effect — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere-exposure_effect
- The Mere Exposure Effect — The Decision Lab: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/mere-exposure-effect
- Foot-in-the-Door Technique — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-in-the-door_technique
- The Foot-in-the-Door Technique Explained — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq_TLDiIRx8
- The Paradox of Choice — Barry Schwartz (TED Talk) — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 