Persuasive Communication

Persuasive Communication

1. Content of the Communication

   • When people understand a message and respond favourably to it, they are likely to be persuaded
   • More convinced by an expert
   • TV~ Simple Print(Newspaper)~ Facts and Figures
   • Evoke emotion
     • We are less likely to process the information correctly
       • Use of fear is more successful than the liking of good mood and ability

2. Characteristics of the Audience

   • Cognition
     • People with a high 'need for cognition' more persuaded by strong arguement
       • 'Need for Cognition'= Enjoying checking for issues, inconsistencies and weighting up the pros and cons (Cacciopo & Petty, 1982)
     • People low in cognition, disregard strength. More swayed by trustworthiness and expertise
   • Gender (Deborah Tannen, 1990)
     • Male
       • More direct
       • Center of attention
       • Status
     • Female (Nurture)
       • more indirect (Not demanding)
       • Visual Images of family and children
   • Culture
     • Western (Independent)
       • Strategies that are more directional and informal
       • Strongly appeal to logic
     • Chinese (Interdependent)
       • Appeal to both logic (statistics) and emotions (pleasure)
       • Strategies that are more indirectional and polite

3. Source of Communication

   • Trustworthiness
     • Polite form of address
     • Dress formal
     • Provide statistics
     • Advertising qualification
   • Fast talkers (Smith & Shaffer, 1995)
     • Audience assume that fast speaker is more intelligent and knowledgeable
       • Fast presentation makes it more difficult for the audience to evaluate the content properly
       • Rapid speech conveys the impression that the speaker knows what he or she is talking about
   • Expertise (Smith & Mackie, 2000)
     • People are more likely to accept the word of people with expertise in an area, even without assessing the validity of their claim
   • Popular and attractive communicators are more effective than unpopular or unattractive ones (Kiesler J Kiesler, 1969)

4. Gaining Attention

   • Grabbing attention before we turn out
     • Bright and eye catching colours
     • Loud volume
   • Personal Persuasion: Timing is critical
     • Eg. Adolescent wanting to go to a party will not ask their mother if they are tired, busy or angry
   • catching opening gimmick
   • Something that piqued our curiosity

5. Involves trying to change the beliefs, feelings and behaviors of another. What affects the audience's reactions needs to be known to be successful

Images and files in the map