Chapter 7: Persuasion

persuasion

the process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors

central route to persuasion

when people are motivated and able to think about an issue

occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

peripheral route to persuasion

if we’re distracted, uninvolved, or just plain busy, we may not take to the time to reflect on the message’s content

occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness

which persuasion route leads to more lasting change?

central route processing can lead to more enduring change than the peripheral route

when people think carefully, they rely not only on the strength of the appeals but their own thoughts in response

elements of persuasion explored by social psychologists

• the communicator

• the message

• how the message is communicated

• the audience

credibility

perceived expertise and trustworthiness

how long are the effects of source credibility?

they diminish after about a month or so

impact may fade as its source is forgotten or dissociated from the message

how do you become an authoritative “expert”?

to be seen as knowledgeable on the topic

can also be simulated through agreement (with audience)

speaking confidently and fluently raises appearance of credibility

more willing to listen to a communicator we trust, which is higher with a communicator people believe is not trying to persuade them

attractiveness or likability

message content

reason vs emotion depends on the audience you are pitching to

also matters how people’s attitudes were formed: if initially formed through peripheral route then they are more persuaded later through the peripheral appeals

more persuasive through association with good feelings, enhances positive thinking and partly by linking good feelings to with the message

effective by evoking negative emotions

playing on fear works best if a message leads people not only to fear but also to perceive a solution and feel capable of implementing it

two-sided appeals make the communicator seem more honest

foot-in-the-door phenomenon

if you want people to do a big favor for you, you should get them to do a small favor first

lowball technique

a tactic for getting people to agree to something. people who agree with an initial request will often still comply when the requester ups the ante

people who receive only the costly request are less likely to comply with it

later experiments found that this works only if people verbally commit to their choice

door-in-the-face technique

a strategy for gaining a concession. after someone first turns down a large request, the same requester counteroffers with a more reasonable request

primacy effect

information presented early is most persuasive

recency effect

information presented last sometimes has the most influence, less common than primacy effects

when does forgetting create the recency effect?

when enough time separates the two messages

when the audience commits itself soon after the second message

channel of communication

the way the message is delivered - whether face-to-face, in writing, on film, or in some other way

two-step flow of communication

from media to opinion leaders to everyone else

comparing media

if you want to persuade someone who disagrees with you, it is better to do it face to face as your voice humanizes you

messages are best comprehended when written

need for cognition

the motivation to think and analyze. assessed by agreement with items such as “the notion of thinking abstractly is appealing to me” and disagreement with items such as “I only think as hard as I have to”

attitude inoculation

exposing people to weak attacks upon their attitudes so that when stronger attacks come, they will have refutations available

counterarguments

reasons why a persuasive message is wrong