How Gullible are You?

1. Appearance The way a person or thing looks becomes the basis of our acceptance or rejection.
2. Manner The way a person acts or behaves at a certain time becomes the basis of our acceptance or rejection of the person. Usually, the behavior has nothing to do with the issue at hand.
3. Degrees and Titles You make a sharp distinction or division where it is inappropriate to draw sharp distinctions.
   We buy or believe out of respect for degrees or titles attached to the names of those who persuade us even though the degree or title is not relevant to the product or idea being presented.
4. Numbers The speaker wants us to buy or believe because of the large numbers associated with the product or proposition.
5. Status Persons or objects for which we have respect - or which possess some degree of fame or prestige - are used to convince us of something. It is the person's fame and prestige that is used, not the person's degree or title.
6. Repetition We buy or believe because we have heard or seen the idea or product name so many times. The speaker or advertiser "pounds" the message into our heads.
7. Slogans A slogan is a short, catchy phrase or sentence meant to promote action in favor of the slogan maker. However true the slogan may be, if your action is merely a favorable response to the slogan, and not based on an honest evaluation of the product, then the technique is successful.
8. Technical Jargon "Jargon" refers to the terminology used in a specific field. In this technique, unfamiliar words whose meaning is too technical to be understood by the average reader or listener are used to impress us.
9. Sophistical Formula An old or popular saying is used to close an argument so that the real issue is not settled.