Researchers have been studying the factors that influence us to say, " yes " to the requests of others for over 60 years,

and there can be no doubt that there's a science to how we are persuaded and a lot of this science is surprising.

When making a decision it would be nice to think that people consider all the available information in order to guide their thinking.

But the reality is very often different.

In the increasingly overloaded lives we lead, more than ever we need shortcuts or rules of thumb to guide our decision making.

My own research has identified just six of these shortcuts as universals that guide human behavior.

They are ; reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking and consensus.

Understanding these shortcuts and employing them in an ethical manner can significantly increase the chances

that someone will be persuaded by your request.