Chapter 7 - Human Suggestibility - For Discussion

Q1. What commercials seem to have the most impact on you buying behaviour? What makes them so influential?

A1. How often the commercials are on the television. The consistency of message. The depiction of stories and the experiences linked with those stories. Also the one that use clever visuals or narratives.

Q2. What products or services do you feel almost entirely ignorant about (for example, car repairs, dental work, etc.)? How does this affect you role as a consumer?

A2. I feel at the mercy of the vendor because they know more about the process and the requirements to solve an issue than i do. It is a specialist area, so I tend to go by recommendation and believe what the say from their specialist position. I give my decision making process to them at the point of using the service.

Q3. Do you think Milgram's experiment on "Obedience to Authority" would have the same results today? Why and why not?

A3. It would depend on the environment. I believe people are more aware of this type of experiment, electric shock therapy is no longer accceptable treatment for ailments in most countries. I believe if the experiment were changed slightly to encompass less typically 'laboratory experimental' surroundings and the punishment was slightly different.

Q4. Describe an example or two of times when you gave in to peer group pressure. How did you feel? What penalties did you think you'd face by not conforming? Did you have control of yourself?

A4. I felt that everybody, knew that the next move was on me, the suggestion made to me gave me a limited set of options, framed me in a specific way to which I had to respond. I was under fire. Not to respond within that frame would have broken the reality everyone else in the room agreed with or at least experienced together.




Q5. Describe an example or two in which you obeyed authority when you thought he or she was wrong in demanding what was asked of you. Why did you obey? How did you feel at the time?

A5. When the managing director of an advertising firm, said I should begin working on some client we had just won if I wanted to progress my career there, after i had stressed a dislike for working in that area. The threat was that not succeeding in the task would have been viewed as non compliance, resulting in dismissal. I felt threatened, my livelihood on the line, yet compelled to do it.

A person asked to me to provide some display documentation for an event at the last minute framing the work as a smaller part of a bigger piece she knew i was doing for someone else. Also that within the work there were some examples of 'good behaviour' denoting that anything else than a 'yes' on doing this would not be classed a 'good behavior'. I felt pressured into doing it and wondered of I could say no for fear of being told i was being obstrcutive.



Q6. What impresses you? How does someone create positive expectations in you?

When they show they have confidence, I reciprocate. The ability to mosaically assemble a suggestion by seemingly broken or mixed messages. The deftness of their linguistic display, their patter. Their ability to use jokes to stun people.

Q7. How does a therapist have each of the five powers described in this chapter?

The capacity for influence

The therapist using the skills of mixed messages in can influence by suggestion a subconscious message. The therapist has the power to influence the client through repetition of key messages. The client uses suggestions to plant notions dependent on the suggestibility of the person. The therapist can use very in direct suggestions if they encounter resistance.

The need for clarity and certainty

'When in Rome do as the Roman's do' reflects the need for certainty. The need for clarity result in derivational search, the therapist can use the confusion technique to make people search for meaning in a meaningless statement. The therapist will be able to use the fact that the client has admitted her own ignorance and strong sense of helplessness about the situation, the therapist is in a position of power to make the hurt go away.


Q7. How does a therapist have each of the five powers described in this chapter?

There are five different types of power: 1) Coercive (derived from the ability to punish)

They have the ability to remove or cut short the service or remind them of their need.

2) reward (derived from he ability to give benefits ranging from monetary to psychological)

The therapist can deliver a pleasant feeling to the client, and make them more successful in stature and shaping the way they think about themselves

3) legitimate power (derived from position, included elected and selected positions)

The ability to state that they are the therapist, able to see what only someone in that position can see, the responsibilities of that role allow them certain privilege within the parameters and dynamics of the role.

4) expert (derived from greater knowledge in an area),

The therapist can display the superior knowledge of the area, and the option they see before them for the client using terms of the specialism.

and 5 referent power (personal characteristics, such as likability or amiability).

The therapist can become the confidant the friend the support for the client. They can make finding a solution exhilarating and fun.