Many of Us are Easily Persuaded, Influenced

How susceptible are you to suggestion, persuasion and influence?

If you think you aren’t susceptible, consider these questions:

• Are you easily swayed by the pressure of those around you?

• Do other individuals’ opinions seem to easily become your own?

• Do you frequently wait to see what others decide before making a decision of your own?

• Do you purchase items as a result of media commercials?

• Do you have a strong need to be led rather than to be a leader?

• Can your mind be easily changed once you have made a decision?

• Are you likely to laugh at an apparent joke, even if you don’t understand its meaning?

• Do you like to wear the latest style clothes, know the newest dances, learn the hippest slang and follow other fads?

• Do you often find yourself mesmerized by smooth-talking, clever, articulate speakers?

• Do your mood easily parallel those in movies, books or other forms of entertainment?

If you answered yes to many of these questions, this may indicate you are easily influenced, persuaded, or even suggestible at times.

If you are suggestible, you have no need to be alarmed or upset. Many of us are easily persuaded, especially in certain situations.

• Being susceptible, you have no need to be alarmed or upset. Many of us are easily persuaded, especially in certain situations.

• Being susceptible to illusion and suggestion gives magicians the opportunity they need to perform magic.

• Being suggestible is the basis for the hypnotic trance.

• Suggestion and persuasion are used by effective sales people each time they make a sale.

• Children are usually more suggestible than adults; therefore, they are more easily influenced by parental direction.

• The placebo effect in medicine, which often enhances the treatment, is dependent on the influence of suggestion.

There are other results.

Highly suggestible individuals are frequently more trusting and naïve at times. This tendency many make them targets for unscrupulous scams designed to take advantage of this characteristic.

P.T. Barnum once said, “There is a sucker born every minute.”

At the other end of the continuum, however, highly suspicious, untrusting, and guarded people usually leave something to be desired in their personalities. These individuals may have fewer meaningful relationships and, in general, may be more isolated.

Stressful situations can lead to an erosion of self-confidence causing an individual to become unsure of making decisions.

At such times, people may be influenced and led in the wrong direction.

An example of this is the highly stressful years of adolescence where peer influence is at its peak.

The tendency to be influenced under pressure also is displayed in prisoner of war accounts describing their vulnerability to persuasion after prolonged torture and deprivation.

As with many other psychological characteristics, some degree of suggestibility, persuasibility, and ability to be influenced is healthy and is expected in the psychological well-balanced individual.

Extremes, however, can lead to difficulties.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright © 1992