The very short version is that Cialdini (a communication researcher) looked at both the communication research and did extensive interviews with people whose job it is to convince others to do what they want (salesmen, police interrogators, etc) and was able to derive six principles that affect whether someone is more likely to go along with what you're trying to convince them of - Similarity/Likability, Consistency, Commitment, Authority, Reciprocity, and Scarcity. These principles can be turned into "shortcuts" by sales guys and the like - you walk into a car dealership and the guy starts asking you personal questions until he hits on something you have in common, and then starts talking about that, and now you like him more because you're similar, which better disposes you to buying a car from him (and makes you less likely to bargain hard on the price, since you don't want to upset your new friend).
All of the principles are normal and natural (of course you're more likely to do something that someone you like asks you to do!), but where it gets gray or worse is when the person trying to influence contrives to use the principles in a calculated way that maximizes their benefit with as little cost to them as possible. Like offering cheap swag to instill a feeling of reciprocity, or leading the conversation to get you to agree with something he then paints as being consistent with what he really wants ("wouldn't you agree that it's bad that some children starve? Ah, so then you're willing to donate to my charity for starving children, of course.")
Anyhow, maybe I'll expand on it and try to make some connections to magic, as you suggested.
no subject
The very short version is that Cialdini (a communication researcher) looked at both the communication research and did extensive interviews with people whose job it is to convince others to do what they want (salesmen, police interrogators, etc) and was able to derive six principles that affect whether someone is more likely to go along with what you're trying to convince them of - Similarity/Likability, Consistency, Commitment, Authority, Reciprocity, and Scarcity. These principles can be turned into "shortcuts" by sales guys and the like - you walk into a car dealership and the guy starts asking you personal questions until he hits on something you have in common, and then starts talking about that, and now you like him more because you're similar, which better disposes you to buying a car from him (and makes you less likely to bargain hard on the price, since you don't want to upset your new friend).
All of the principles are normal and natural (of course you're more likely to do something that someone you like asks you to do!), but where it gets gray or worse is when the person trying to influence contrives to use the principles in a calculated way that maximizes their benefit with as little cost to them as possible. Like offering cheap swag to instill a feeling of reciprocity, or leading the conversation to get you to agree with something he then paints as being consistent with what he really wants ("wouldn't you agree that it's bad that some children starve? Ah, so then you're willing to donate to my charity for starving children, of course.")
Anyhow, maybe I'll expand on it and try to make some connections to magic, as you suggested.
Cheers,
Jeff