Persuasion - Communication Flashcards
Persuasion definition
Form of communication that involves attempting to change the beliefs, feelings and behaviour of another.
3 variables in the context in which persuasion takes place:
Source of the message - the person presenting the message (who).
Contents of the message - may include medium of the message, be it talking, SMS or advertising (what + how).
Audience or the receiver of the message (to whom)
Petty & Cacioppo (1986) developed what?
elaboration-likelihood model of persuasion
Outline the elaboration-likelihood model of persuasion
When people receive a message, they think about the argument that is being made. The thinking is not very deep - would require considerable effort.
Persuasion then follows 1 of 2 processes/routes & the one chosen depends on the amount of elaboration/scrutiny is required.
The two routes: Central + Peripheral
Central route to persuasion
Thoughtful consideration of the content of the message by the receiver as an active participant in the process of persuasion.
Can only occur when the receiver has both motivation & ability to think about the message + its content.
Peripheral route to persuasion
Listener decides whether to agree w/a message based on cues other than the content of the message.
E.g. Listener may agree w/a message bc the source appears to be an expert/is attractive in some way.
Receivers engaged in this peripheral processing are more passive than those doing central processing.
Peripheral cues
e.g. source expertise or a great deal of content in 1 message.
These are used as a short-cut.
What are the central route effects & what do they rely on?
since it’s considered more carefully, its likely to have longer-lasting effects.
Relies on message being clear and convincing
Peripheral route effects
Though has advantages as it’s quick + doesn’t require much cognitive effort, receivers don’t always have the motivation + ability to think about the content of the message
Smath & shaffer (1995) considered that fast…
presentation makes it more difficult for listener s to evaluate the content properly.
That’s why listeners assume that a fast speaker is more intelligent and knowledgeable.
Individuals differ in how carefully they will evaluate an argument, research has shown…
that some people enjoy examining issues, checking for inconsistencies and weighing up the pros + cons in a debate - these people have a high ‘need for cognition’ (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982).
- More likely to be persuaded by strong arguments, unmoved by weak ones.
vs.
people who are less likely to take strength of an argument into account are mroe likely to be swayed by factors; expertise/trustworthiness of the person presenting the message - these people have a low ‘need for cognition’.
Gender of the audience can affect…
the persuasiveness of the source.
Carli 1990
A study - a message was read by either a man or a women, either tentatively or assertively.
When reader was female and tentative, male listeners were more easily to persuaded than female listeners vs. male speakers were equally persuasive under both conditions and for both male and female listeners.
Min-Sun Kim & colleagues 1998
Examined cultural differences in the way attempt at persuasion are evaluated.
Based study on known differences between individualistic + collectivist cultures w/student from mainland US, Korea & Hawaii (reps of each culture)
US - individualistic culture
Korea - collectivist
Hawaii - pluralistic
Wanted to describe + compare preferred linguistic forms for the 1st and 2nd attempt requests by people of different orientations.
Min-Sun Kim & Colleague 1998 Hypothesis of persuasion, why it supported?
Participants who valued interdependence (collective cultures) would likely to consider hint strategies to be an effective means of persuasion.
Participants who valued independence (individualistic cultures) would consider direct statements to be the best way of making requests.
Way supported in 1st attempt request; however, if confronted w/non-compliance, all participants reported that they would be likely to find direct requests for second attempts more effective.
