Persuasion is necessary for many of our social institutions and could not continue our way of life today without it.

• government, religion, education, public health, etc.
• TV, radio, Internet, newspaper, magazine
• face-to-face human encounter

the message transmitted by the sender in the persuasion process is seen as "aimed at" the person selected as the "target", striking the receiver and having an effect.

the receiver of the message plays as active a part in achieving whatever changes take place as does the source or sender, by deciding to make that change.

a communicative transaction in which a source constructs and transmits messages designed to influence a receiver's constructions of meanings in ways that will lead to change (desired by the source) in the receiver's beliefs, attitudes, or behavior.

If the attempt fails the message is just another piece of communication.

coercion: compelling other to do something, or restraining them from action, by threatening them with undesirable consequences.  Often the threat of force and bodily harm to alter behavior.

Affective b/c they are intimidating and demanding.

Because people value their memberships in groups and want to be accepted by others so they follow the social expectations of the group.

carefully designed messages can change the way people think, believe, or feel about a topic

by sending carefully designed persuasive messages (cognitive reorganization) to a receiver and achieving the changes in the receiver, they will alter the way they act toward the object of the communication

it is a process of establishing, extending, substituting, and stabilizing meanings that are associated with particular words, concepts, events, or situations.

When people modify their beliefs, then it follows that their actions may also change.

Is usually a long process, not immediate.

a belief is a kind of statement of truth that an individual accepts about some object, situation, or event.

factual: don't involve any kind of judgement or imply any kind of emotional orientation on the part of the person holding the belief.

affectual: have an evaluative or emotional quality that implies such feelings as like, dislike, acceptance, rejection, approval, or disapproval.

• messages that change beliefs, modify behavior

attitude: a relatively enduring organization of affective beliefs about some broad object (policy, social category of people, or situation) that increases the probability that an individual will respond to that object in a manner consistent with those beliefs.

1) Confusing and not fully understood. Can be strong or little or no direct association.

2)the more important the topic is to someone, the stronger the consequences are for them, the more likely the attitude will cause change.

the topic>, consequences>, attitude=change

3)social pressure will take over the attitude because people conform to public social pressures.

4)if it causes issues (difficulty, lack of opportunity) the less likely the behavior will occur

Psychological reactance occurs when people are motivated to rebel when their est. beliefs, attitudes, or habits of behavior are threatened by persuasion.

1. throughout life we develop many attitudes and beliefs.
2. we do not like others telling us what to do or think, or trying to change us.
3. when someone tries to change our beliefs or behavior we resist that person and their message.
4. this overall resistance is known as psychological reactance.

constructive: refusing to comply when behavior being solicited is against ethical norms

destructive: disagreeable, negative, subversive, or rebellious behavior.  disobedience or corruption of authority.

what seems constructive to one group could be seen as destructive by another and vise versa

1. based on our expectation of gaining rewards or avoiding punishment.
2. desire to emulate or imitate a particular individual or group. rewards in having this individual as your close friend and in feeling that you are like this person.
3. personally rewarding or useful.  consistent with our personal values.

the degree to which people's personal characteristics make them either more or less easily influenced by others.

1. no assumption should be made that either males or females are easier to persuade.
2. persuasion may succeed if receiver is obliging, changeable, dependent, and unstable. less likely if receiver is aggressive, unchanging, forceful, efficient, and well informed.

Discuss the 5 features of effective messages:

1) sidedness

2) message ordering

3) fear appeals

4) behavior-alternation techniques

5) nonverbal cues

1. whether to use a message that presents only one side of a persuasive argument, to include both sides, or to use both sides AND refute the opposing arguments (most effective).
2. doesn't matter
3. strong fear appeals do work, producing more persuasive influences than weak appeals.
4. reward from behavior- "You will enjoy it!"  punishment from behavior- "You will lose if you don't"
5. make people feel comfortable and liked

1. competence- how knowledgeable or expert a source is thought to be in a given content area.
2. trustworthiness
3. extroversion- the degree to which we are believed to be talkative, bold, dynamic, and outgoing
4. composure
5. sociability

the model emphasizes 2 types of persuasion:

relevant vs irrelevant to us

messages relevant and important to us, the attitude change may be strong, enduring, and predictive.

messages that aren't relevant may be weak, temporary, and less predictive.