Chapter 8: Social Influence and Persuasion

third-person effect

occurs when people believe the media have a stronger impact on others than on themselves

normative influence

going along with the crowd in order to be liked and accepted

public compliance

outwardly going along with the group but maintaining a private, inner belief that the group is probably wrong

informative influence

going along with the crowd because you think the crowd knows more than you do

autokinetic effect

illusion, caused by very slight movements of the eye, that a stationary point of light in a dark room is moving

group norms

the beliefs or behaviors that a group of people accepts as normal

pluralistic ignorance

looking to others for cues about how to behave, while they are looking to you; collective misinterpretation

private acceptance

a genuine inner belief that others are right

foot-in-the-door technique

influence technique in which one starts with a small request in order to gain eventual compliance with a larger request

low-ball technique

influence technique in which one first gets a person to comply with a seemingly low-cost request and only later reveals hidden additional costs

bait-and-switch technique

influence technique in which one draws people in with an attractive offer that is unavailable and then switches them to a less attractive offer that is available

labelling technique

influence technique, in which one assigns a label to an individual and then requests a favor that is consistent with the label

legitimization-of-paltry-favors technique

influence technique that involves a phrase that suggests that even a very small amount of aid will help (e.g., “even a penny will help”).

door-in-the-face technique

influence technique in which one starts with an inflated request and then retreats to a smaller request that appears to be a concession

that’s-not-all

influence technique in which one first makes an inflated request but, before the person can respond, sweetens the deal by offering a discount or bonus

limited-number technique

influence technique in which one tells people that an item is in short supply

fast-approaching-deadline technique

influence technique in which one tells people an item or a price is only available for a limited time

pique technique

influence technique in which one captures people’s attention, as by making a novel request.

disrupt-then-reframe technique

influence technique in which one disrupts critical thinking by introducing an unexpected element, then reframes the message in a positive light

persuasion

an attempt to change a person’s attitude

source

the individual who delivers the message

sleeper effect

the finding that, over time, people separate the message from the messenger

expertise

how much the source knows

trustworthiness

whether the source will honestly tell you what they know

convert communicators

people perceived as credible sources because they are arguing against their own previously held attitudes and behaviors

halo effect

the assumption that because people have one desirable trait (e.g., attractiveness), they also possess many other desirable traits (e.g., intelligence)

inverted (upside down) U-shaped relationship

a relationship that looks like an upside down U when plotted

advertisement wear-out

inattention and irritation that occurs after an audience has encountered the same advertisement too many times

repetition with variation

repeating the same information, but in a varied format

receptivity

whether you “get” (pay attention to, understand) the message

yielding

whether you “accept” (believe, and especially whether you change your attitude to agree with) the message

need for cognition

a tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful thinking, analysis, and mental problem solving

elaborate likelihood model (ELM) or heurisitc/systematic model

theory that posits two routes to persuasion, via either conscious or automatic processing

central route (systematic processing)

the route to persuasion that involves careful and thoughtful consideration of the content of the message (conscious processing)

peripheral route (heuristic processing)

the route to persuasion that involves some simple cue, such as attractiveness of the source (automatic processing)

personal relevance

degree to which people expect an issue to have significant consequences for their own lives (another motivation to process the message in addition to need for cognition)

negative attitude change or a bomerang effect

doing exactly the opposite of what one is being persuaded to do