(^166) T H E M IN D O F T HE B UY E R
p sych ological a nalysis like th e abo ve w oul d
so on give a ba si s fo r voting th em fra udul en t
an d deceptive.
D irect v s. indirect suggestion. In a sserting
o n page^163 th a t in direc t sugge stion i s no r
m ally mo re p ow e rful tha n di rec t suggestion
w e di d no t m ea n t o c ondemn th e l a tte r en
tirely. Dire c t suggestion h a s ce rtai n weigh t.
P robably i t i s mos t useful wi th pe opl e wh o
“ do n’t kn ow th ei r o wn minds. ” Th ere are
undo ubt edly i ndivid ual s who like to have th eir
decision s m a de fo r th em, an d wh o wel come
unconscio u sly a di rec t sugges tion, indeed, a
comm an d. P sych ol ogi st s wh o h ave ex p eri
mented i n thi s fi el d, h owever, asse rt th at eve n
wi th suc h in divi d ual s, th e desired a ct m ay
’
b e
in stigat e d by m ean s of indirec t sugge stion.
F o r exampl e, w h en th e tim e c om es fo r cl osing
th e sal e, th e sa l e sm an m ay sugges t indire ctly
th a t th e c ust ome r h a s alrea dy m a de h is de
cisio n, by sta rting to wrap up th e articl e o r
by a sking, “ D o yo u wish i t delivere d to -day
Th e gre a t a dvanta ge cl aim e d fo r th e in
di rect mo de o f ap peal i s th a t i t doe s not h ave
such a tendency to o ffe nd th ose person s wh o
do know th ei r o wn minds, an d desire to feel
th a t th ey a re m a sters o f th ei r fa te.
Counter-suggestion. Thus fa r in o ur disc us
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