Professor Robert Caldiani isn't one of these pop psychologists whose work starts and finishes on the daytime TV couch. He's a real academic who's work is based on careful experimentation and published papers.
His idea is that humans react almost unconsciously in fairly predictable, but sometimes odd, ways to social situations.
With his colleagues Dr Noah Goldstein and Steve Martin, he's written a book. Yes! reveals what they call the secrets of the science of persuasion.
They've also recorded a series of podcasts, exclusive to Times Online.
For researchers, eBay is a huge test-case, and the results they're finding are startling. Professor Cialdini reveals what their research tells us about eBay auction start prices, and how this is transforming how businesses try to change behaviour.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/audio_ ... 792158.ece
