Other people have a profound impact on our behaviors, emotions and thoughts. A friend can convince another to drink alcohol at a party, even if they are underage. A husband can convince his wife that she deserves to be beaten, and a professor can influence a student to prefer one philosophy over others. These incidents demonstrate how easily humans are influenced, especially when they are not paying attention. Since the results can be serious, it is important for individuals to learn and recognize the different methods used to exploit them. During my research, I discovered at least four commonly practiced methods: the "door in the face technique", the "foot in the door technique", the "that's not all technique" and the “expertise”. “The first one I encountered was the “Door in the Face Technique,” ​​a method often used by children (Taylor, Peplau, & Sears, 2006). On the night of October 21, 2010, my younger brother and I dared to Wal-Mart in order to purchase a pair of gold earrings. I was hoping to replace the pair I lost last summer. Upon entering, we found the store, usually bustling with customers, surprisingly quiet. Not naked, but peaceful. Wal-Mart itself is a corporate retail store that offers a variety of items for purchase. These articles are organized into sections, such as “electronics,” “toys,” and “baby.” Typically, the aisles are packed floor to ceiling with items at relatively low prices. However, the “jewelry” section is separate; it contains a counter that separates the ornaments from the rest of the merchandise. Behind that counter, there was a man named Matt. His long beard and unkempt appearance made him look quite out of place among the glitterati. The Door-in-the-Face technique is a tactical use...... middle of paper ......ul processes I have observed. Subsequently, appearance matters, whether I want to admit it or not. And finally, the power of a persuasion method seems to depend on the specificity of the client's request(s). The more committed a customer is to the product they want, the less likely they are to talk themselves out of it. References Taylor, SE, Peplau, LA and Sears, DO (2006). Attitudes and attitude change. In Social psychology (pp. 132-167). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc. Taylor, SE, Peplau, LA and Sears, DO (2006). Social influence. In Social psychology (pp. 204-230). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc. Williams, W.R. (2010). Psychology Course 302. October 1, 2010. Williams, WR (2010). Psychology Course 302. October 6, 2010. Williams, WR (2010). Psychology course 302. October 8, 2010.