INFLUENCE - SCIENCE AND PRACTICE

The initial version of Influence was designed for the popular reader, and as such, an attempt was made to write it in an engaging style. In the subsequent versions, that style is retained, but in addition, I present the research evidence for my statements, recommendations, and conclusions. Although they are dramatized and corroborated through such devices as interviews, quotes, and systematic personal observations, the conclusions of Influence are based on controlled, psychological research. This fact allows the instructor, the student, and the popular reader to feel confident that the book is not "pop" psychology but represents work that is scientifically grounded. The subsequent versions also provide new and updated material, chapter summaries, and study questions to enhance its classroom utility.

A potentially attractive feature of the present version of Influence lies in its ability to serve as an enjoyable, practical, yet scientifically documented text for both students and the general reader. For students, one way to view the book, then, is to see it as a refreshing change of pace (from standard text material) that does not retreat from scientific respectability. In a related vein, for both students and the general reader, the book might be seen as a way to demonstrate that, properly presented, what often seems like dry science can actually prove to be lively, useful, and relevant to all readers' personal lives.