Persuasion

What is persuasion?

• influencing people’s attitudes beliefs and behaviours through communication

• can be intentional (advertising) or unintentional ( peer pressure)

Why is understanding persuasion important?

• empowerment- empowers individuals to be more effective communicators and discerning consumers of information

• defensive capability- recognise and resist unwanted or manipulative attempts ( propaganda, social influence)

• positive uses - encourage healthy behaviours, promote social change, enhance education and training, strengthen relationships and resolve conflicts

What is persuasion, compliance, and obedience?

• persuasion - changing attitudes and beliefs possibly leading to behaviour

• compliance - changing behaviour in response to a request, without necessarily changing attitudes

• obedience - compliance to a direct order from an authority

What are the traditional models of persuasion?

• McGuire’s Chain of Persuasion

• Cognitive Response Model

• Elaboration Likelihood Model

What is McGuire’s Chain of Persuasion?

• message processing stages:

• presentation

• attention

• comprehension

• yielding

• retention

• behaviour

What is Brock’s Cognitive Response Model?

• cognitive responses to messages

• supportive, counter argument, active engagement

What is the ELM (elaboration likelihood model)?

• depth of processing (thinking)

• central route - deep thinking, logic, evidence

• peripheral route - surface cues ( attractiveness, repetition, slogans)

What is the contemporary view of persuasion?

• Robert Cialdini

• livelihoods depend in others saying “ yes “

• natural selection of influence

What are the six universal principles of compliance?

• reciprocation

• consistency

• social proof - what others are doing

• liking - more likely to say yes to people we like

• scarcity

• authority

What is reciprocation?

• most foundational of 6 principles

• encourages mutual aid without simultaneous exchange

• violation leads to shame, guilt and social punishment

What are examples of reciprocation tactics?

• free samples, trials, small gifts - trigger feeling of obligation

• cant give a gift, give a concession- ask for something crazy then fall back to something more reasonable

What is consistency?

• want to behave in ways that align with our prior beliefs, values or actions

• once we’ve made a decision, we’re more likely to stick with it

What are consistency tactics?

• foot in door technique - get a small non-committal agreement - more likely to agree to a bigger ask later

• low-balling - agree to a deal based on attractive terms - later terms change- still buy it

• bait and switch - lured in a great deal - unavailable when you arrive - offered a worse alternative, but take it to stay consistent