The Shrewd, Hypnotic Question That Could Actually Destroy Chauvin
How one innocent question can “pre-suade” a jury
Did you know that asking one hypnotic question can alter your later decisions? Robert Cialdini describes this concept as a form of “pre-suasion.” (Cialdini, 2018, Affiliate)
In fact, lawyers study how questions affect jurors to gain an advantage at trial. Also, their legal organizations extensively test the best ways to pick juries.
Here I will share one of the secrets lawyers use to win before opening arguments. My hope is that it will make you a better juror when you are called to serve.
Expert pre-suasion with hypnotic questions.
Cialdini tells a story that will surprise you. In it, a group of researchers’ goal was to collect each participant’s e-mail address. They found that only 33 percent were willing to give them away for a reward. But do you know what happened when asked a “pre-suasive” question first?
They asked, “Do you consider yourself to be someone who is adventurous and likes to try new things?” When participants heard this question, 75.7 percent of them freely gave their information. (Cialdini, 2018, “Are You Adventurous…”, para. 2).
