Persuasion Flashcards
What is persuasion?
How one changes the attitudes of others.
What is the elaboration likelihood model? (ELM)
There are 2 routes that a person will travel down as they are being persuaded.
1) Central route ~ explicit memory/attitudes
- focus on logic and effective reasoning, things processed deeply
ex: persuaded by good argument
2) Peripheral route ~ implicit memory/attitudes
- things processed superficially
- simple cues
ex: persuaded by argument quantity or attractive person in ad or even just happy music in the ad
Why would one route or the other be chosen in the ELM?
Depends on motivation and ability to process the persuasion attempt
1) Central route followed when someone has BOTH (MOTIVATION and ABILITY) to pursue the product.
- -> leads to lasting change
2) Peripheral route followed when person has LOW motivation or ability (or both)
- -> leads to temporary change
What is an example that proves the ELM?
- Group of people both shown ad, half shown ad with “will be available in your area!” while other half didn’t. These people more likely to go central route because they are motivated and able to get it! Then both groups were shown 2 ads for a razor, one with a good argument one without, and central route people liked good argument one more while others were indifferent between the two options (were only focused on superficial parts of ad.)
- Same experiment ^ but ads at end were one with celebrity actor one with just basic actor. Central people were indifferent because only paying attention to the content, and peripheral people liked the celebrity one much more.
What are peripheral cues? What are the options?
The things that help persuade those on the peripheral route!
1) Source cues:
- celebrity
- attractiveness
- likeability
- credibility (ex: actor wearing lab coat)
2) Message cues:
- argument length (more info = more convincing)
- # of arguments
- repetition of the argument
3) product names – cue other thoughts if related
ex: vitamin water cues health!
Also convinced by aesthetic, colours (green = ecofriendly..), music, etc. ~ priming
How would a marketer use the ELM?
- Can use ads with the right types of persuasion to match expected route for your target market
- Can design the message so that consumers follow a certain route, and then have something for both sides (ex: fun images paired with actual good info)
What are the 6 principles of persuasion?
a) Liking
b) Reciprocity
c) Social proof
d) Commitment and consistency
e) Authority
f) Scarcity
What is the principle of liking?
You’re more likely to comply if you like the person asking.
Liking is most likely when they:
- are similar to you
- praise/compliment you
- are attractive to you
- are familiar to you
ex: people donated more to teachers that appeared to have the same last name as them (similarity)
What is the principle of reciprocity?
You’re more likely to comply if the person asking has done you a favour so you feel obligated to return it.
- Don’t even have to like the person
- Can be uninvited gift/favour
- Can be an unequal exchange
ex: door in face technique – ask for big thing, person says no, ask for smaller thing (feels like doing the person a favour by asking for less), person agrees ‘its the least I can do’
What is the principle of social proof?
You’re more likely to comply if others have done the thing that was asked.
Most impactful when:
- its similar people to you
- you’re uncertain, look to others for guidance
ex: when said that 75% of other people in this hotel room reused their towels, people much more likely to do the same
What is the principle of commitment/consistency?
You’re more likely to comply if you commit to it, as you want to prove to others that you’re consistent and dependable.
Best when:
- its a public committment
- it takes some effort
- its voluntary
ex: foot in the door technique – get a single donation once, and then once got that, ask for another one later, or ask for monthly donation, or ask for increased donation - you’ve already gotten into it, can’t back out now!
What is the principle of authority?
You’re more likely to comply if the person asking has authority or expertise on the subject.
best when:
- evidence that they are expert (title, degree)
- there are cues that they in fact are experts (lab coats, suits, etc)
ex: gonna listen to dentist when say to brush teeth but maybe won’t listen to mom if she says it
*** authority influence in world is dwindling though - less people trust it
What is the principle of scarcity?
You’re more likely to comply if you believe the thing is special and in short supply.
best if:
- newly scarce object
- there’s evident competition
- works best on younger people
ex: ‘limited time offer!’, ‘6 other people have this item in their cart’
*** dark side: black friday, experiment showed people with scarcity on their mind were more violent/short-tempered
How do you combine cognitive dissonance, attitudes, persuasion, and other memory/attention/etc stuff?
High involvement (ELM central route): - thinking = multiattribute model, theory of reasoned action - feeling = cognitive dissonance Low involvement (peripheral route): - thinking = self perception - feeling = mere exposure, classical conditioning
