Role of Persuasion

Persuasion is an umbrella term of influence. Persuasion can attempt to influence a person’s beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behaviors. In business, persuasion is a process aimed at changing a person’s (or a group’s) Attitude or behavior toward some event, idea, object, or other person(s), by using written or spoken words to convey information, feelings, or reasoning, or a combination thereof. Persuasion is also an often used tool in the pursuit of personal gain, such as election campaigning, giving a sales pitch, or in trial advocacy. Persuasion can also be interpreted as using one’s personal or positional Resources to change people’s behaviors or attitudes. Systematic persuasion is the process through which attitudes or beliefs are leveraged by appeals to logic and reason. Heuristic persuasion on the other hand is the process through which attitudes or beliefs are leveraged by appeals to habit or emotion.

Methods of persuasion

Persuasion methods are also sometimes referred to as persuasion tactics or persuasion strategies:

Usage of force

There is the usage of force in persuasion, which does not have any scientific theories, except for its use to make demands. The use of force is then a precedent to the failure of less direct means of persuasion. Application of this strategy can be interpreted as a threat since the persuader does not give Options to his or her request.

Weapons of influence

There are 6 weapons of influence:

Reciprocity

The principle of reciprocity states that when a person provides us with something, we attempt to repay him or her in kind. Reciprocation produces a sense of obligation, which can be a powerful tool in persuasion. The reciprocity rule is effective because it can be overpowering and instill in us a sense of obligation. Generally, we have a dislike for individuals who neglect to return a favor or provide payment when offered a free service or gift. As a result, reciprocation is a widely held principle. This societal standard makes reciprocity extremely powerful persuasive technique, as it can result in unequal exchanges and can even apply to an uninvited first favor.

Commitment and consistency

Consistency is an important aspect of persuasion because it:

is highly valued by Society,
results in a beneficial approach to daily life, and
provides a valuable shortcut through the complicated nature of modern existence.

Consistency allows us to more effectively make decisions and process information. The concept of consistency states that someone who commits to something, orally or in writing, is more likely to honor that commitment. This is especially true for written commitments, as they appear psychologically more concrete and can create hard proof. Someone who commits to a stance tends to behave according to that commitment. Commitment is an effective persuasive technique, because once you get someone to commit, they are more likely to engage in self-persuasion, providing themselves and others with reasons and justifications to support their commitment in order to avoid dissonance. Cialdini notes Chinese brainwashing of American prisoners of war to rewrite their self-image and gain automatic unenforced compliance. Another example is children being made to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance each morning and why marketers make you close popups by saying “I’ll sign up later” or “No thanks, I prefer not making Money”.

Social proof

We, as humans, are influenced by others around us; we want to do what everyone else is. People often base their actions and beliefs on what others around them are doing, how others act or what others believe. “The power of the crowd” is very effective. We all want to know what others are doing around us. We are so obsessed with what others do and how others act, that we then try to be just like other people. Cialdini gives an example that is somewhat like this: In a phone–a–thon, the host says something like, “Operators are waiting, please call now.” The only context you have from that statement is that the operators are waiting and not busy. Rather the host may say: “If operators are busy, please call again.” This is the technique of social proof. Just by changing three words, it sounds like the lines are busy and other people are calling, so it must be a worthwhile organization. Social proof is most effective when people are uncertain or when there are similarities in a situation. In uncertain or ambiguous situations, when multiple possibilities create choices we must make, people are likely to conform to what others do. We become more influenced by people around us in situations that present a decision. The other effective situation for social proofing is when there are similarities. We are more prone to change or conform around people who are similar to us. If someone who is similar to you is being controlling and a leader, you are more likely to listen and follow what they say.

Likeness

This principle is simple and concise. People say “yes” to people that they like. Two major factors contribute to overall likeness. The first is physical attractiveness. People who are physically attractive seem more persuasive. They get what they want and they can easily change others’ attitudes. This attractiveness is proven to send favorable messages/impressions of other traits that a person may have, such as talent, kindness, and intelligence. The second factor is similarity. We are more easily persuaded by people we see as similar to ourselves.

Authority

We have the tendency to believe that if an expert says something, then it must be true. People like to listen to those who are knowledgeable and trustworthy, so if you can be those two things, then you are already on your way to getting people to believe and listen to you. In the Milgram study, a series of experiments begun in 1961, a “teacher” and a “learner” were placed in two different rooms. The “learner” was attached to an electric harness that could administer shock. The “teacher” was told by a supervisor, dressed in a white scientist’s coat, to ask the learner questions and punish him when he got a question wrong. The teacher was instructed by the study supervisor to deliver an electric shock from a panel under the teacher’s control. After delivery, the teacher had to up the voltage to the next notch. The voltage went up to 450 volts. The catch to this experiment was that the teacher did not know that the learner was an actor faking the pain sounds he heard and was not actually being harmed. The experiment was being done to see how obedient we are to authority. “When an authority tells ordinary people it is their job to deliver harm, how much suffering will each subject be willing to inflict on an entirely innocent other person if the instructions come ‘from above’?.” In this study the results show that most teachers were willing to give as much pain as was available to them. The conclusion was that people are willing to bring pain upon others when they are directed to do so by some authority figure.

Scarcity

Scarcity is a principle that people underestimate. When something has limited availability, people assign it more value. According to Cialdini, “people want more of what they cannot have.” When scarcity is an issue, the context matters. This means that within certain contexts, scarcity “works” better. To get people to believe that something is scarcer, marketers explain what about that certain product provides what no other product does. Marketers also get people to believe something is scarce by telling them what they will lose, not what they will gain—using statements like, “You will lose $5,” rather than, “Save $5.” There are two major reasons why the scarcity principle works:

When things are difficult to get, they are usually more valuable, so that can make it seem to have better quality.
When things become less available, we could lose the chance to acquire them.

When this happens, we assign the scarce item or service more value simply because it is harder to acquire. This principle is that we all want things that are out of our reach. If we see something is easily available, we do not want it as much as something that is very rare.

Persuasion is a powerful tool that can be used to influence people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is a key element in advertising, politics, law, and everyday life.

Persuasion can be used for good or for bad. It can be used to sell products, influence people’s opinions, and even change the course of history. However, it can also be used to manipulate people, deceive them, and even harm them.

It is important to be aware of the techniques that are used to persuade us and to think critically about the information that we are presented with. We should not blindly accept everything that we are told. We should question everything and make up our own minds about what we believe.

Here are some of the most common techniques that are used to persuade us:

Emotional appeals: Persuaders often use emotional appeals to get us to feel a certain way about something. They might use images, stories, or music to evoke an emotional response in us. Once we are feeling an emotion, we are more likely to be persuaded by the persuader’s message.
Logical arguments: Persuaders also use logical arguments to try to convince us of something. They might use facts, statistics, or expert opinions to support their claims. If we find the persuader’s arguments to be logical and convincing, we are more likely to be persuaded by them.
Social proof: Persuaders often use social proof to convince us that something is the right thing to do. They might tell us that other people are doing it, or that it is the popular opinion. If we see that other people are doing something, we are more likely to do it ourselves.
Reciprocity: Persuaders often use the principle of reciprocity to get us to do something for them. They might give us a gift, or do us a favor, and then ask us to do something for them in return. We are more likely to do something for someone who has done something for us.
Scarcity: Persuaders often use the principle of scarcity to convince us that something is valuable. They might tell us that there is a limited supply of something, or that it is only available for a short time. If we think that something is scarce, we are more likely to want it.

It is important to be aware of these techniques so that we can resist them when necessary. We should not let ourselves be persuaded by someone just because they make us feel an emotion, or because they use logical arguments, or because they use social proof, or because they use the principle of reciprocity, or because they use the principle of scarcity. We should think critically about the information that we are presented with and make up our own minds about what we believe.

Persuasion is a powerful tool, but it is important to use it wisely. We should use it to promote good and to help others, not to manipulate or deceive them. We should also be aware of the techniques that are used to persuade us so that we can resist them when necessary.

What is persuasion?

Persuasion is the act of influencing someone to do something or believe something. It is a form of Social influence that can be used to achieve a variety of goals.

What are the different types of persuasion?

There are many different types of persuasion, but some of the most common include:

Rational persuasion: This type of persuasion relies on logic and reason to convince someone to do something or believe something.
Emotional persuasion: This type of persuasion relies on emotions to convince someone to do something or believe something.
Social proof: This type of persuasion relies on the idea that people are more likely to do something or believe something if they see that others are doing it or believing it.
Reciprocity: This type of persuasion relies on the idea that people are more likely to do something for someone if they have done something for them in the past.
Scarcity: This type of persuasion relies on the idea that people are more likely to do something or believe something if they think it is scarce or limited.

What are the different techniques of persuasion?

There are many different techniques of persuasion, but some of the most common include:

The foot-in-the-door technique: This technique involves getting someone to agree to a small request first, and then asking them to agree to a larger request later.
The door-in-the-face technique: This technique involves making a large request that is likely to be refused, and then following it up with a smaller request that is more likely to be accepted.
The low-ball technique: This technique involves making an attractive offer, and then changing the terms of the offer after the person has agreed to it.
The bait-and-switch technique: This technique involves offering something that is attractive, and then switching it for something else that is less attractive.
The salami technique: This technique involves making a series of small requests, each of which is more likely to be accepted than a single large request.

What are the benefits of persuasion?

Persuasion can be used to achieve a variety of goals, including:

Influencing someone to do something: Persuasion can be used to convince someone to do something that they would not otherwise do.
Influencing someone to believe something: Persuasion can be used to convince someone to believe something that they would not otherwise believe.
Changing someone’s behavior: Persuasion can be used to change someone’s behavior in a desired way.
Achieving a goal: Persuasion can be used to achieve a goal that would not be possible without it.

What are the risks of persuasion?

Persuasion can also be used for harmful purposes, such as:

Manipulating someone: Persuasion can be used to manipulate someone into doing something that is not in their best interests.
Lying to someone: Persuasion can be used to lie to someone in order to get them to do something that you want.
Taking advantage of someone: Persuasion can be used to take advantage of someone who is vulnerable.
Causing harm to someone: Persuasion can be used to cause harm to someone, either physically or emotionally.

How can you avoid the risks of persuasion?

There are a few things that you can do to avoid the risks of persuasion:

Be aware of the techniques of persuasion: Knowing about the different techniques of persuasion can help you to identify them when they are being used on you.
Be critical of the information that you are presented with: Don’t just accept everything that you hear or read. Think critically about the information and consider whether it is true or not.
Trust your gut: If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. If you feel like you are being persuaded to do something that you don’t want to do, trust your gut and walk away.
Talk to someone you trust: If you are feeling pressured or manipulated, talk to someone you trust about it. They can help you to stay safe and make sure that you are not being taken advantage of.

Here are some multiple choice questions about the topics of persuasion, propaganda, and rhetoric:

Persuasion is the act of:
(a) convincing someone to do something
(b) changing someone’s mind
(c) both a and b
Propaganda is:
(a) a form of persuasion
(b) a form of Communication
(c) both a and b
Rhetoric is:
(a) the art of using language to persuade
(b) the art of using language to communicate
(c) both a and b
Which of the following is NOT a technique of persuasion?
(a) Ethos
(b) Logos
(c) Pathos
(d) Logos, ethos, and pathos are all techniques of persuasion.
Which of the following is NOT a technique of propaganda?
(a) Name-calling
(b) Glittering generalities
(c) Transfer
(d) All of the above are techniques of propaganda.
Which of the following is NOT a technique of rhetoric?
(a) Repetition
(b) Analogy
(c) Simile
(d) All of the above are techniques of rhetoric.
Which of the following is an example of ethos?
(a) A politician who CITES her experience in government as evidence that she is qualified to be president.
(b) A company that uses statistics to show that its product is safe.
(c) A movie that makes you feel sad for the main character.
Which of the following is an example of logos?
(a) A politician who cites her experience in government as evidence that she is qualified to be president.
(b) A company that uses statistics to show that its product is safe.
(c) A movie that makes you feel sad for the main character.
Which of the following is an example of pathos?
(a) A politician who cites her experience in government as evidence that she is qualified to be president.
(b) A company that uses statistics to show that its product is safe.
(c) A movie that makes you feel sad for the main character.
Which of the following is an example of name-calling?
(a) Calling your opponent a liar.
(b) Saying that your opponent is not qualified for the job.
(c) Saying that your opponent is not a good person.
Which of the following is an example of glittering generalities?
(a) Saying that your opponent is a “threat to our way of life.”
(b) Saying that your opponent is a “champion of the people.”
(c) Saying that your opponent is a “leader for the future.”
Which of the following is an example of transfer?
(a) Using a flag or other symbol to associate your candidate with patriotism.
(b) Using a religious symbol to associate your candidate with faith.
(c) Using a family symbol to associate your candidate with values.
Which of the following is an example of repetition?
(a) Saying the same thing over and over again.
(b) Using a slogan or catchphrase.
(c) Using a symbol or image repeatedly.
Which of the following is an example of analogy?
(a) Comparing your candidate to a successful leader from the past.
(b) Comparing your candidate to a successful product.
(c) Comparing your candidate to a successful person in your life.
Which of the following is an example of simile?
(a) Saying that your candidate is “like a lion.”
(b) Saying that your candidate is “like a rock.”
(c) Saying that your candidate is “like a breath of fresh air.”

I hope these questions were helpful!