Chapter 5: Persuasion Flashcards
Persuasion
When a message causes us to change our beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors
The Process of Persuasion
- Grab attention
- Comprehension
- Belief
- Remembrance
- Behavior
- Actions
Persuasion Paths: The Central Route
This route focuses on arguments and tries to convince people (system 2)
Persuasion Paths: The Peripheral Route
This route focuses on cues that trigger acceptance without thinking about it (system 1)
Persuasion Paths: Different Routes for Different Purposes
- The Audience: Are they motivated or unmotivated?
- Processing: Will they pay attention to the info?
- Persuasion: Should it be smart or easy to accept?
Persuasion Elements: The Communicator
- Perceived Expertise: Do they seem smart? Do they say things people agree with? Are they decisive?
- Perceived Trustworthiness: Are they trustworthy? Do they have similar ideas to mine?
- Attractiveness: Are they attractive?
Persuasion Elements: The Sleeper Effect
Sometimes a message may impact us after a long while - usually happens after we forget the source, but remember the message
6 Persuasion Principles
- Authority
- Liking
- Social Proof
- Reciprocity
- Consistency
- Scarcity (exclusivity)
Persuasion Elements: What is Said
- Reason vs Emotion (depends on audience)
- Good feelings affect persuasion
- Arousing fear
- Good feelings & Fear are a good combo
Persuasion Elements: Discrepancy
- Credible sources can persuade even when heavily contradicting people’s beliefs
- Not credible sources must try and go with low contradiction to persuade
Persuasion Elements: Opposing Arguments
- Is there 1 or 2 sides?
- 2 Sided arguments may cause some to reconsider, but they actually make extremists more extreme in their feelings
Persuasion Elements: Does Order Matter?
PRIMACY EFFECT: When given 2 messages and choice right away, usually message 1 is accepted
RECENCY EFFECT: When given 2 messages with long gaps in between, message 2 is usually accepted
Persuasion Elements: The Channel of Communication
- Active participation strengthens attitudes, especially with continual activity
- The more lifelike, the more persuasive the message
- BUT, written information has the most lasting effect since it takes processing power to consume
Persuasion Elements: The Audience
- How old are they
- Do they have forewarning? (preparation)
- Are they distracted?
- Are they uninvolved?
- Are they motivated to think and analyze the argument?
Cults
- Distinctive devotion rituals
- Isolation from outside “evil” cultures
- A charismatic leader
Cults: Attitudes Follow Behavior
- Compliance breeds acceptance: initiates are immediately made active members
- The foot-in-the-door phenomenon: Introduced in a seemingly normal way and encouraged to slowly engage in activities
Cults: Persuasive Elements
- The communicator: Cult leaders are charismatic and trustworthy, often using tricks to be perceived experts
- The message: Often vivid emotional messages and radical acceptance from members
- The audience: Often young, educated middle class people looking for answers as they go through changes
Global Warming: Public Opinion
- Recent experiences frame our Intuitive judgements (availability heuristic)
- Persuasive arguments (both sides) give the sense that it is still up for debate
- System justification: people tend to believe in the way things are and not want to change
Resisting Persuasion: Attitude Strength
When we feel more confident in our attitudes, we are less likely to be persuaded otherwise
- CERTAINTY: Refers to the subjective confidence that people attach to their attitudes
Resisting Persuasion: Info-Processing Biases
- Selective exposure, perception, and memory keeps us from venturing out to try new things
Resisting Persuasion: Reactance
- People act to protect a sense of freedom and agency - anti-social behaviors can result when people feel differently than the mainstream
Resisting Persuasion: Strengthening Personal Commitment
Practices of challenging beliefs, developing counterarguments, and attitude inoculation can all lead to having attitudes with a strong foundation
Resisting Persuasion: Inoculation Programs
- Exposes children to the facts (smoking, ads) and exposing them to a wide array of ideas
- More exposure to the reality of things allows children to use critical thinking instead of being “brainwashed”
