7 Secrets of Persuasion

Understanding the “Lizard” Mind

To persuade people, you need to understand how the mind works, whether you’re asking consumers to choose a certain mobile phone, shun junk food or support your candidate. In the past, scientists believed people made choices consciously. However, cognitive science now indicates that the unconscious mind plays a pivotal role in decision making.

People use two different methods of thinking: an almost instinctive approach that remains largely “nonconscious” and a more deliberate “conscious” approach. The nonconscious or “automatic” part of the mind affects many decisions. Experts refer to this aspect of the brain as the “lizard inside.” The conscious mind has limited processing capabilities. The lizard – “automatic, nonconscious mental system” – has almost limitless capabilities. Your unconscious lizard mind could have 25,000 times more capacity than your reflective, conscious mental system.

You use the conscious part of your brain for activities that evolution didn’t prepare you to carry out, such as “dieting, calculus and science.” The lizard does what evolution primed it to do in order to keep you alive, such as ensuring blood...