Hidden Persuasion cover

Hidden Persuasion

by Rick van Baaren

Visual messages are omnipresent in our daily life. They are constantly attempting to persuade us to buy, learn, and act. Some are more successful than others in influencing our behavior and choices. What is the secret power of these messages? How do they succeed in changing our behavior? This book explains the psychology behind fifty effective influence techniques of visual persuasion and how to apply them. The techniques range from influence essentials to more obscure and insidious methods. The reader will gain deep insights into how visual means are constructed to influence behavior and decision making on an unconscious level. All techniques are supported by rich visual references and additional information on the psychology of behavior change. This publication is not just an eye-opener for professionals and students in the communication and design fields, but also for anybody who wants to understand how our behavior is influenced unconsciously by advertising, social campaigns, and government messages.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?