Is that really what you think?

Svengalis and kingmakers are often suspected of changing the face of history from the wings.

Now, a group of researchers have started to unlock the mechanics of this kind of social influence.

In a new study, they shed light not just on how world leaders or celebrities think, but how we all do.

So, who's making up your mind?

Repeated exposure to one person's viewpoint can have almost as much influence as exposure to shared opinions from many people, according to the new research, published in this month's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and released Sunday by the American Psychological Association.