# howinfluenceworks.com > A site about how social influence works ## Pages - [Hume's Perspective on How to React to Extraordinary Claims](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/humes-perspective-on-how-to-react-to-extraordinary-claims/): By Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com Many blogs on this site examine methods senders apply to sway others. By contrast, this article considers a tactic available to those receiving influence. It addresses how a person might react when someone offers an extraordinary event as proof for a belief or action. I draw on David Hume (1711–1776) to […] - [J. S. Mill, Individual Liberty, and Social Influence](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/j-s-mill-individual-liberty-and-social-influence/): By Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com John Stuart Mill championed individual liberty, emphasizing that people should have the freedom to evaluate their choices and act based on their judgments. He argues that liberty yields broad benefits for individuals and society, so it deserves protection from attempts to restrict it. Mill wrote about the relation of social influence […] - [John Locke and the Essential Role of Influence in Civilization](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/john-locke-and-the-essential-role-of-influence-in-civilization/): by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com This website, howinfluenceworks.com, examines social influence in all of its forms: good and bad; useful, neutral, and destructive; effective and ineffective; important and trivial. In this article, I consider a form of influence that is deeply ingrained in human nature and essential to social functioning. A group of people working together […] - [Aristotle's Poetics and its Implications for Rhetoric](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/aristotles-poetics-and-its-implications-for-rhetoric/): Stories can be used to influence an audience. In this blog, I discuss the recommendations of Aristotle in his work, Poetics, for composing a story capable of changing feelings, thoughts, and actions. His insights remain relevant. Aristotle saw the telling of stories as a way to educate. Although not the only way to do so, […] - [How Influence Worked in the Soviet Union](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/how-influence-worked-in-the-soviet-union/): by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com February 24, 2025 This blog delves into the highly effective behavior control methods used by the communist government in the Soviet Union. Despite the immense hardships it inflicted on its citizens, the government managed to endure for most of the 20th century (1917-1991) without any decisive internal resistance. So, why did […] - [Optimistic about Optimism](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/optimistic-about-optimism/): November 21, 2024 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com This blog and the next one are about the social influence of optimism levels. Optimism is a subjective state. It is “an inclination to put the most favourable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome” (Webster’s Dictionary). People who are optimistic tend to […] - [Aristotle on Social Influence](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/aristotle-on-social-influence/): September 10, 2024 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com Aristotle (384-322 BCE) agreed with his teacher, Plato, that dialectic and rhetoric are valid forms of social influence. Dialectic would be preferable when the audience is willing and able to engage in the critical evaluation of a belief. Rhetoric would be necessary when the audience is unable or […] - [Plato on Social Influence](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/plato-on-social-influence/): September 5, 2024 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com Plato (427-348 BCE), a student of Socrates, believed that social influence should aim to improve the listener. He advocated for the use of the Socratic method, known as the dialectic, which involves questioning and engaging in dialogue to uncover truth. Plato’s famous dialogue “The Republic” exemplifies this approach […] - [Socrates on Social Influence](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/socrates-on-social-influence/): September 3, 2024 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com In this and subsequent blog posts, I discuss the contributions of Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to understanding social influence. These ancient ideas are still relevant and can help improve the contemporary world. You are invited to share your thoughts on the topic. In this blog, I […] - [Lying: The 500 Pound Gorilla in the Room of Social Influence](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/lying-in-social-influence/): June 19, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com In this blog, I address the role of lying in social influence. Lying is a tactic all too commonly used to change minds. It can be effective. There might be an aversion to study lying because the act reflects the dark side of humanity and is fraught with […] - [Social Control of the Brain 3: Surgery and Non-Invasive Techniques](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/brain-3-surgery-and-non-invasive/): June 6, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfuenceworks.com In this blog, I will continue my look at how people exert influence on the brains of other people. The focus will be on surgical and noninvasive techniques (SNT) performed to treat psychological symptoms, which could include movement or psychiatric disorders. Surgery in this case is neurosurgery and […] - [Social Control of the Brain 2: Psychoactive Drug-Taking](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/psychoactive-drug-taking/): April 20, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com In this blog, I begin to examine what can be learned about social influences on the brain by taking a look at psychoactive drug-taking in society. A psychoactive drug is one that changes thinking, feeling, or behaviour in some way. In this process, the brain is being changed. […] - [Social Control of the Brain](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/social-control-of-the-brain/): May 2, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com This blog examines the social influences that lead directly to the physical alteration of the brain. It pays to have a look at these processes because they can be profound. I focus on the treatment technologies used in medicine and surgery. What is the social influence component of […] - [What is the Explanation for Billy Graham's Incredible Influence?](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/billy-graham/): April 22, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com This article concerns the influence of Reverend Billy Graham. It provides a short biography of the man, traces the extent and type of influence he exerted, sketches the Graham personality, and gives an explanation for how his influence materialized as it did. Billy (a form of address he […] - [Social Influence by Manipulation](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/social-influence-by-manipulation/): April 8, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com Some forms of influence used in society are manipulative. Manipulation consists of social influence without informed consent. In this blog, I will describe one of the many manipulative techniques used in the world of influence. This one has been studied extensively by researchers. The Foot-in-the-Door Technique Consider the […] - [What Can We Learn from the Famous Milgram Obedience Experiments?](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/milgram-obedience-experiments/): March 28, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com In this blog, my concern is with what the famous Milgram studies on the psychology of obedience have to tell us about ourselves. I describe the studies’ methods and findings, and then go through some of the lessons we can learn about how obedience to authority works. Stanley […] - [What is the Explanation for Greta Thunberg's Considerable Influence?](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/greta-thunberg/): March 13, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com In this blog, I propose an explanation for how climate activist, Greta Thunberg, became influential. The blog consists of a brief biography, a demonstration that her influence is indeed considerable, and the explanation. Biography Greta Thunberg was born on January 3, 2003, in Stockholm, Sweden. As an eight-year-old, […] - [What We Can Learn by Observing Social Influence in the Natural World](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/what-we-can-learn-by-observing-social-influence-in-the-natural-world/): March 8, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com We can learn a great deal by observing social influence in the world around us. To this end, I describe here a case of social influence and look at what it tells us. The case might seem mundane but what it tells us about the influence process turns […] - [Elaboration of the Examples of Social Influence](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/elaboration-of-the-examples-of-social-influence/): March 1, 2023 by Donald Gorassini, howinfluenceworks.com The 20 examples provided in Lesson 1 of the tutorial represent a wide range of social influence situations. The examples have in common a source that is exerting potential influence, a recipient that might be changed, a request depicting expected behaviour, and a promise that certain outcomes will […] - [About this Website](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/about/): This website has been designed to disseminate information about social influence and serve as a forum for discussion on the topic. The moderator is Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Donald Gorassini, who taught and conducted research in university in Canada over a long career. Send questions and comments to info@howinfluenceworks.com. - [Blog](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/blog/): Linked are several blog posts. The posts are meant to elaborate the concepts presented in the tutorial and/or stand in their own right as illustrations of influence phenomena. New posts will appear from time to time. Your comments are welcome. 2023-03-01 Further to the Definition of Social Influence 2023-03-08 Observing the Influences All Around Us […] - [Tutorial](https://howinfluenceworks.com/index.php/sample-page/): This tutorial consists of 6 lessons on the fundamental notions of social influence, links listed here. The first five lessons pertain to what makes social influence successful. The sixth concerns what makes social influence ethical. I would recommend taking the lessons in the order given. LESSON 1 What is social influence? Social influence consists of […] ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/howinfluenceworks.com/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)