Persuasion Test #2

Norms

Expectations governing group members’ behavior (can be formal or informal)

Conformity

Adjusting behavior to align with group expectations

Informational Influence

Conforming because you want to be correct

Normative Influence

Conforming because you want acceptance

Social Impact Theory

The 1st person added has the most impact diminishing impact for each additional member

Social Influence Model

Middle group members (3rd, 4th) have strongest influence

Dissent

Disagreeing with the group; a second dissenter reduces conformity significantly

Reference Group

Groups we respect, admire, identify with

Ethnocentrism

Assuming one’s own culture is the standard for judging other cultures

Groupthink

Prioritizing consensus over critical thinking

Social Proof

Using others’ behavior to guide your own

Ostracism

Exclusion or shunning from a group

Deindividuation

Refers to a loss of self-awareness in groups

Social Loafing

Putting in less effort in a group

Free Rider Effect

Letting others do the work

Sucker Effect

Reducing effort to avoid being taken advantage of

Risky Shift

Groups sometimes make riskier decisions than individuals

Group Polarization

Being in a group encourages people to take more extreme positions

Language is Symbolic

Words represent things but are not the things themselves

Denotative Meaning

Literal dictionary definition

Connotative Meaning

Emotional or subjective meaning

God Terms

Democracy, freedom, family values

Devil Terms

Deadbeat dad, thug, racist, pervert

Charismatic Terms

Empowerment, work smarter, not harder, transformative

Aphorisms

Short, memorable sayings; (e.g., “You’re barking up the wrong tree.”)

Metaphors

Comparing one thing to another

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Language shapes, influences thought

Euphemisms

Softer or indirect terms (pre-owned vs. used)

Double-Speak

Evasive or misleading language

Profanity

Can decrease credibility but may also violate expectations

Political Correctness

Avoiding language that is perceived as offensive by others

Language Intensity

Strong, forceful language that can increase persuasion

Reinforcement Theory

Language intensity is persuasive if the listener agrees with the source

Language Expectancy Theory

Positive or negative violations of language expectations can help or hinder persuasion

Information Processing Theory

 Intense language increases perceived disparity in positions

Powerful Language

Confident, assertive communication

Powerless Language

Hesitations, hedges, disclaimers that weaken persuasion

Nonverbal Communication

Majority of emotional meaning in messages

Immediacy

Warm, involving, immediate behaviors enhance the persuasiveness of a message

Kinesics

Body movement (eye contact, facial expressions)

Eye Contact

Increases credibility, trust, and persuasion

Facial Expressions

Smiling increases persuasion

Mirroring

Mimicking behavior to build connection

Emblems

Have clear, culturally codified meanings

Illustrators

Gestures that enhance verbal messages

Adapters

Self-touching behaviors that tend to signal nervousness, anxiety, uncertainty

Haptics

Touch facilitates compliance gaining

Dispositio

The effective, orderly arrangement of ideas

Elocutio

Fluency, command of language

Inventio

The invention and discovery of arguments

Memoria

Memory and mnemonic devices

Pronuntiato

Delivery factors such as pitch, rate, voice quality

Implicit Conclusions

Letting the audience draw their own conclusion

Explicit Conclusions

Clearly stating the conclusion

Gain-Framed Messages

Focus on benefits

Loss-Framed Messages

Focus on costs or negatives

ELM (Elaboration Likelihood Model)

• Low involvement → quantity matters

• High involvement → quality matters

Evidence

Strengthens persuasion and credibility

Narrative Evidence

Stories (less reliable)

Statistical Evidence

Data (more persuasive overall)

Mere Exposure Effect

Repeated exposure to a stimulus increases liking for the stimulus

Order Effects

• Primacy Effect → First information remembered best

• Recency Effect → Last information remembered best

Inoculation Theory

Exposure to weak opposing arguments builds resistance

Compliance Gaining

Attempting to influence behavior

5 Basic Types of Strategies

Rewarding Activity, Punishing Activity, Expertise, Personal Commitments, Impersonal Commitments

Common Compliance Strategies

Reciprocity, liking, authority, scarcity, etc.

Dominance

The level of power, control, or status

Intimacy

 The degree of closeness

Resistance

Anticipation of non-compliance

Reward Power

Based on the ability to confer benefits

Coercive Power

Based on the ability inflict punishments or impose penalties

Expert Power

Based on perceived knowledge, expertise

Legitimate Power

Based on official rank, formal standing

Referent Power

Based on admiration, respect, regard

Politness Theory

• Positive Face → Desire to be liked

• Negative Face → Desire for freedom

Expressive Design Logic

People who respond reflexively, impulsively

Conventional Design Logic

People who follow norms, social customs

Rhetorical Design Logic

People who rely on shared goals and reason-giving

Goal-Plan-Action Model

• Primary goals → main objective

• Secondary goals → concerns about consequences

Primary Goals

Gaining assistance, giving advice, sharing activities, etc.

Secondary Goals

Identity, interaction, relational, personal, emotional

Cialdini’s 7 Principles

Reciprocity, Scarcity, Commitment/Consistency, Authority, Liking, Social Proof, Unity