March 26, 2008
Honest: All the cars in this garage are good; you’re free to purchase any car except the Red Ferrari in the middle. It has not yet been authorized for drive on the streets; so you must not purchase it, for if you drive the Red Ferrari on the streets you’ll surely be arrested.
Then Honest left and attended to other business while Alert started looking through the cars available for purchase. While Enlightened was still standing around the Red Ferrari, Deceiving came across and spoke to Enlightened.
Deceiving: Did Honest really say, ‘You must not purchase any car from this garage’?
Enlightened: We may purchase any car in this garage, but Honest did say, ‘You must not purchase the Red Ferrari in the middle of the garage, and you must not sit in it, or you will be arrested.’
Deceiving: You will not certainly be arrested! For Honest knows that when you purchase the Red Ferrari, you’re getting an exclusive vehicle, and you’ll be like Honest, driving the coolest car in town!
When Enlightened saw that the Red Ferrari was good for drive and gaining attention, and it was also a renowned and unique car, she decided to take the car out for a test drive. She decided to get Alert, who was with her, for the test drive. While they were on the streets in the Red Ferrari, Justice stopped them and they were arrested for driving an unauthorized vehicle on the streets.
During the course of this entire exchange, Deceiving used three distinctive persuasion techniques simultaneously and got Enlightened to comply with him. Compliance refers to a change in behavior that is appealed by another person or group; the individual acted in some way because others asked him or her to do so (but it was feasible to reject or turn down). Typically, the person making the appeal imply that the offer can be refused, though they would welcome compliance.
The first persuasion technique used by Deceiving is door-in-the-face. The door-in-the-face technique begins by making a very large offer, one that is certain to be declined, then follows by a smaller offer, the one to which compliance is actually wanted. The logic is that these individuals, who have refused the first offer, will be more likely to agree to the second offer.
In this exchange, a variant form of the foot-in-the-door is used by Deceiving. Deceiving approached Enlightened and denied her access to all the cars (making a huge proclamation). When Enlightened corrected Deceiving about the situation (refuting his proclamation), Deceiving seized the opportunity to offer her the unauthorized Red Ferrari (presenting the smaller request).
At this point time, Deceiving started employing a second persuasion technique to help his cause – the scarcity technique. Scarcity is a trait that markets products. According to reactance theory, people often desire what they cannot possess. Hence, if people were denied access to something, it would cause them to believe that they really want that article. Therefore, Deceiving focused Enlightened’s attention on the one car, the Red Ferrari, which she could not have; while diluting her attention on all other cars in the garage that were available. Making the Red Ferrari appear as a scarce commodity also increased its perceived value, hence, Enlightened began making positive attributions to the car (it’s appeal and ability) that heightened her desire to acquire this restricted vehicle.
As Enlightened made positive appraisals on the Red Ferrari, she was committing an error that led to her eventual arrest – she believed that what is beautiful is good. Though she has yet to test drive the car personally, she was already making positive appraisals about its ability (something that cannot be judged based on appearance). Additionally, Enlightened also appeared to make another mistake by employing the representative heuristic. Since the Red Ferrari was a renowned car, she assumed that this particular vehicle must be good as well, neglecting the important information about its lack of authorization, which might have implied something regarding safety (be it the car itself or to other road users).
During the entire exchange, Deceiving employed the liking technique skillfully. The liking technique is a strategy used to increase compliance, based on the account that people are more likely to agree with others they find attractive. The liking technique is easily achieved, yet extremely potent, as any form of appeal would greatly increase compliance. Deceiving made himself likeable to Enlightened by appearing as a friend who is telling her the truth (that the Red Ferrari was available for purchase, she would not be arrested for driving the car on the streets and that he would be delighted for her to own such a special car). Moreover, he also handed Enlightened the opportunity to drive the car, something she was denied initially, thereby increasing his favor with her. At this moment, Enlightened committed another blunder by applying the heuristics of a friend on Deceiving simply because he was presenting himself to her as a friend. Hence, Enlightened assumed that Deceiving had her best interests and would never lie to her, needless to say harm her; this effectively sealed the deal for Deceiving as Enlightened have taken the bait.
Hence, from the entire exchange, Deceiving has shown himself to be a Master Manipulator; his choice and use of persuasive technique was immaculate. Indeed, he showed that the key to making a successful deception is to start with a half-truth (a truth that might have been twisted or perverted in some way or another) rather than tell a blatant lie (which will most likely be rejected once and for all). Moreover, he showed that the best way to get someone to believe in a half-truth is via seduction (revealing attractive parts of the forbidden fruit to entice).
Therefore, since we’re discerning, we ought to be careful not to exchange the truth for a lie, disguised as a half-truth, and be deceived. Rather, we should resist any form of flattery, for flattery blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the sincere; a lying tongue detests those it deceives, and a flattering mouth works devastation.
Eric Matthew wrote @ 11:27 PM