【Social Psychology】Chapter 07 — Main Points
* All the following abstractions are excerpted from <Social Psychology>, David G. Myers, 12th edition
Chapter 07 — Persuasion.
— What Paths Lead to Persuasion?
Sometimes persuasion occurs as people focus on arguments and respond with favorable thoughts. Such systematic, or central route, persuasion occurs when people are naturally analytical or involved in the issue.
When issues don't engage systematic thinking, persuasion may occur through a faster, "peripheral route," as people use heuristics or incidental cues to make snap judgments.
Central route persuasion, being more thoughtful and less superficial, is more durable and more likely to influence behavior.
— What are the Elements of Persuasion?
What makes persuasion effective? Researchers have explored four factors: the communicator (who says it), the message (what is said), the channel (how it is said), and the audience (to whom it is said).
Credible communicators tend to be persuasive. People who speak unhesitatingly, who talk fast, and who look listeners straight in the eye seem more credible. So do people who argue against their own self-interest. An attractive communicator is especially effective on matters of taste and personal values.
Associating a message with good feelings makes it more convincing. People often make quicker, less reflective judgments while in good moods. Fear-arousing messages can also be effective, especially if the recipients feel vulnerable but can take protective action.
How discrepant a message should be from an audience's existing opinions depends on the communicator's credibility. And whether a one- or two-sided message is more persuasive depends on whether the audience already agrees with the message, is unaware of opposing arguments, and is unlikely later to consider the opposition.
When two sides of an issue are included, the primacy effect often makes the first message more persuasive. If a time gap separates the presentations, the more likely result will be a recency effect in which the second message prevails.
Another important considerations is how the message is communicated. Usually, face-to-face appeals work best. Print media can be effective for complex messages. And the mass media can be effective when the issue is minor ur unfamiliar, and when the media reach opinion leaders.
Finally, it matters who receives the message. The age of the audience makes a difference; young people's attitudes are more subject to change. What does the audience think while receiving a message? Do they think favorable thoughts? Do they counterargue? Were they forewarned?
— Extreme Persuasion: How Do Cults Indoctrinate?
The successes of religious cults provide an opportunity to see powerful persuasion processes at work. It appears that their successes result from three general techniques:
Eliciting behavioral commitments (as described in Chapter 4)
Applying principles of effective persuasion (this chapter)
Isolating members in like-minded groups (to be discussed in Chapter 8)
— How Can Persuasion Be Resisted?
How do people resist persuasion? A prior public commitment to one's own position, stimulated perhaps by a mild attack on the position, breeds resistance to later persuasion.
A mild attack can also serve as an inoculation, stimulating one to develop counterarguments that will then be available if and when a strong attack comes.
This implies, paradoxically, that one way to strengthen existing attitudes is to challenge them, although the challenge must not be so strong as to overwhelm them.