Influence in Action was designed to relate Robert B. Cialdini's Influence: Science and Practice (Fourth Edition) to the world around students.

The chapters of Influence in Action correspond directly to the chapters in Influence: Science and Practice, reinforcing the lessons learned in Cialdini's work, while allowing students to see a wide variety of famous historical figures, pop culture references, and current products as examples of how the principles discussed in Influence: Science and Practice are seen throughout society.