A principle of social influence where people are more easily persuaded by individuals they find attractive, similar to themselves, or personally appealing. This bias affects decision-making across contexts, from sales interactions to hiring decisions, often operating below conscious awareness.
While 'liking' comes from Old English 'lician' (to please), its formalization as a psychological influence principle emerged from research on interpersonal attraction and persuasion in the mid-20th century, notably systematized by Robert Cialdini.
Your brain has a built-in favoritism filter - you're more likely to say yes to people you like, even when their likability has nothing to do with the quality of their ideas! This is why salespeople try to find common ground and why attractive people have advantages that extend far beyond dating.
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