Intro to Persuasion

Flashcards about persuasion.

Persuasion

An art and a science that is not inherently bad and can be used in a number of positive manners.

Mavens or Opinion Leaders

People who possess specialized expertise and whose opinions on certain subjects or topics are often trusted.

Connectors

People who hear what the next big thing is from the mavens and tell their social circle.

Salespeople

Take messages from connectors and then tell their own social circle.

Nudge Theory

Subtle changes in the way choices are presented to people can influence, or ‘nudge,’ them to behave in certain ways.

Crowdsourcing

When anyone can participate in solving a problem or completing a task.

Persuasion in Sciences

Scientists are often persuaders to get policy changed or for people to see the merit in their research.

Embodied Cognition

The concept that physical behaviors affect mental states.

Instrumental Function

Persuasion serves as an instrument.

Communication Competence

We view those who are better at persuasion to be better communicators (whether that’s true or not).

Defensive Function

By studying how and why influence attempts succeed or fail, you can become a more discerning consumer of persuasive messages.

Third-Person Effect

People tend to underestimate the influence of advertising on themselves and overestimate its effects on others.

Debunking Function

Gives us an avenue for counter-arguments when we believe something is factually wrong.

Pure Persuasion

Clear cases of persuasion, such as a TV commercial that tells you to buy a product.

Borderline Persuasion

Iffy cases of persuasion, such as a stranger overhearing you talking about a restaurant, then they go and try that restaurant.

Intentionality

Whether someone meant to persuade you; scholars often agree that there must be some sort of intent.

Free Will

If there is no agency in making a choice, there is no persuasion, as this has turned into coercion.

Symbolic Action

Focuses on the channel of persuasion. Symbols, language, and meaning-laden acts are all parts of this.

Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion (ELM)

A dual process of persuasion with two routes of processing: central and peripheral.

Central Route

Focuses on the content of the message with higher elaboration.

Peripheral Route

Focuses on the other aspects of the message with lower elaboration.

Need for Cognition

How much a person enjoys thinking about things