Yelling: the oldest persuasive technique.
Persuasion is a great craft; being able to alter others' attitudes could prove handy on oh so many occasions in life. Especially, since it is not as hard as it may seem to be.
Today I will discuss two different ways to influence others' attitudes. Each of these persuasion techniques are appropriate and effective in different situations. At first, I will demonstrate them in action by giving simple examples from everyday life, and then talk about the Elaboration Likelihood Model, which will provide a theoretical base for my speculations. I will also elaborate on peripheral cues and briefly outline .
Today I will discuss two different ways to influence others' attitudes. Each of these persuasion techniques are appropriate and effective in different situations. At first, I will demonstrate them in action by giving simple examples from everyday life, and then talk about the Elaboration Likelihood Model, which will provide a theoretical base for my speculations. I will also elaborate on peripheral cues and briefly outline .
Two types of persuasion
Two different ways of manipulating one's attitudes can be distinguished. To start with, I will base the distinctions on everyday observations - and then will get to theory behind them.
A great example of the first type of persuasion is advertising, which manipulates our attitudes towards various products every day. You may have noticed, that one of the key aspects in this case is usage of visual cues, designed to quickly attract our attention and send certain massages while knowing that we are not going to elaborate on their validity. Advertisers understand that we are unlikely to give much thought to our choice of, say, shampoo, so their persuasion tools should be easily accessible (bright packaging, catchy slogans etc.) and easily understood in order to make us form a positive attitude fairly quickly.
Consider the following advert:
A great example of the first type of persuasion is advertising, which manipulates our attitudes towards various products every day. You may have noticed, that one of the key aspects in this case is usage of visual cues, designed to quickly attract our attention and send certain massages while knowing that we are not going to elaborate on their validity. Advertisers understand that we are unlikely to give much thought to our choice of, say, shampoo, so their persuasion tools should be easily accessible (bright packaging, catchy slogans etc.) and easily understood in order to make us form a positive attitude fairly quickly.
Consider the following advert:
The video doesn't tell us anything whatsoever about the actual product: nothing about how it smells, its quality, price... However, consumers don't care about those things while buying a perfume; they buy it to feel good, to feel worth a luxurious treat etc. Thus, the advert makes the perfume desirable by providing plenty of visual cues of luxury life: jewellery, beautiful dress, house... Importantly, Eva Green - a rich, famous and beautiful actress! - evidently likes the perfume too, it makes her happy - so it must make us happy too, right?
To summarise, in cases when we are not likely to engage in deep thoughtful process while forming an attitude towards an issue/object, our attitude can be influenced easily by visual cues. Quite low-level thoughts will be engaged in the process of forming an attitude in this case.
Second way of manipulating attitudes is entirely different: it is based on elaborate arguments which we, perceivers, are likely to engage with and evaluate. This type of persuasion is appropriate when the issue is something that truly matters to us; something that we will think about seriously. A good example is political debates. Politicians are trying to persuade people to vote for them; however, they have to produce some good arguments in order to do so, because the matter is of a deep interest to public; it will not form an attitude towards candidates basing on visual cues such as their suits and TV commercials.
To summarise, in cases when we are not likely to engage in deep thoughtful process while forming an attitude towards an issue/object, our attitude can be influenced easily by visual cues. Quite low-level thoughts will be engaged in the process of forming an attitude in this case.
Second way of manipulating attitudes is entirely different: it is based on elaborate arguments which we, perceivers, are likely to engage with and evaluate. This type of persuasion is appropriate when the issue is something that truly matters to us; something that we will think about seriously. A good example is political debates. Politicians are trying to persuade people to vote for them; however, they have to produce some good arguments in order to do so, because the matter is of a deep interest to public; it will not form an attitude towards candidates basing on visual cues such as their suits and TV commercials.
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Up till now, it was all mostly common sense and everyday observation. In early 1980s, such observations resulted in Elaboration Likelihood Model designed by Richard E. Petty and John Cacioppo.
According to them, any persuasive message has central and peripheral aspects. It depends on our motivation which aspects we attend to: when we are motivated to process the message with high level cognitive processes, we attend to its' central aspects. When with low level ones - we only process peripheral aspects (visual cue is one of them for example).
When we are motivated enough to attend to the central aspects of the message, we analyse the entire message content carefully; in case we only consider peripheral aspects of it, the message content is not analysed carefully.
Therefore, successful manipulation depends on the quality of arguments in cases when perceivers are motivated to engage with the topic, and on the presence of persuasion cues - when they are not.
According to them, any persuasive message has central and peripheral aspects. It depends on our motivation which aspects we attend to: when we are motivated to process the message with high level cognitive processes, we attend to its' central aspects. When with low level ones - we only process peripheral aspects (visual cue is one of them for example).
When we are motivated enough to attend to the central aspects of the message, we analyse the entire message content carefully; in case we only consider peripheral aspects of it, the message content is not analysed carefully.
Therefore, successful manipulation depends on the quality of arguments in cases when perceivers are motivated to engage with the topic, and on the presence of persuasion cues - when they are not.
It is also appropriate to talk of 'High Elaboration Conditions' and 'Low Elaboration Conditions', depending on whether perceiver attends to central aspects of a persuasive message or its peripheral aspects.
Peripheral cues: group identity
ELM predicts that peripheral cues influence attitudes in Low Elaboration Conditions. One of these cues is group identity. In 2000, Fleming & Petty investigated how exactly this cue affects attitudes. In their study, university students were given some information in which they had little interest. They were told that some of it came from an 'ingroup' (student of the same university) and some - from an 'outgroup' (a student from a different university). Sometimes 'ingroup' had a positive attitude towards the issue, outgroup - negative; sometimes - vice versa. The participants were split into two groups: those who identified highly with other students at their university and those who did not.
What was found was that the group which identified highly with fellow students developed a positive attitude towards an issue when the attitude of an 'ingroup' was positive too. Their attitude, however, was not influenced by attitude of an 'outgroup'. Attitudes of the second group, which did not identify themselves highly with their university, were not influenced by attitudes of neither 'ingroups' or 'outgroups'.
To summarise, ingroup's attitudes have a persuasive effect on those who have a high level of group identification. Plus, don't forget: in Low Elaboration Conditions.
What was found was that the group which identified highly with fellow students developed a positive attitude towards an issue when the attitude of an 'ingroup' was positive too. Their attitude, however, was not influenced by attitude of an 'outgroup'. Attitudes of the second group, which did not identify themselves highly with their university, were not influenced by attitudes of neither 'ingroups' or 'outgroups'.
To summarise, ingroup's attitudes have a persuasive effect on those who have a high level of group identification. Plus, don't forget: in Low Elaboration Conditions.
Other peripheral cues
1. Reciprocation
Receiver is somehow obligated to agree with a message because of some past experience or information.
2. Consistency
Relying on thoughts held in past (for example, 'I felt happy when I went to Italy and this Italian seasoning makes me feel just the same')
3. Social proof
Akin to peer pressure. Actions and words of others are likely to influence attitudes of receiver of a new message.
4. Liking
Simply a likeable speaker/message deliverer. Physically attractive, charming or charismatic speakers are likely to influence our attitude to an issue/topic.
5. Authority
Sense that the speaker has some power/superiority over the message receiver. It could be a presumed expertise in the field, or as much as an overbearing attitude.
6. Scarcity
The idea that the message/opportunity will only be around for a limited amount of time; receiver should snatch it before it disappears. 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' offers, for example.
Receiver is somehow obligated to agree with a message because of some past experience or information.
2. Consistency
Relying on thoughts held in past (for example, 'I felt happy when I went to Italy and this Italian seasoning makes me feel just the same')
3. Social proof
Akin to peer pressure. Actions and words of others are likely to influence attitudes of receiver of a new message.
4. Liking
Simply a likeable speaker/message deliverer. Physically attractive, charming or charismatic speakers are likely to influence our attitude to an issue/topic.
5. Authority
Sense that the speaker has some power/superiority over the message receiver. It could be a presumed expertise in the field, or as much as an overbearing attitude.
6. Scarcity
The idea that the message/opportunity will only be around for a limited amount of time; receiver should snatch it before it disappears. 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' offers, for example.
Summary
* Persuasive techniques can change/influence one's attitudes.
* There are at least two ways in which this can be done: manipulation of the peripheral cues or changing the message quality.
* Peripheral cues are much more effective when the perceiver of the persuasive message does not have a serious concern about the attitude object/issue in question.
* Argument quality seem to be more effective when the issue in question is of a primary concern or interest to the receiver of the persuasive message.
* There are numerous peripheral cues; one of them is group identity, which seems to have a varied effect on people - depending on their level of group identification.
* There are at least two ways in which this can be done: manipulation of the peripheral cues or changing the message quality.
* Peripheral cues are much more effective when the perceiver of the persuasive message does not have a serious concern about the attitude object/issue in question.
* Argument quality seem to be more effective when the issue in question is of a primary concern or interest to the receiver of the persuasive message.
* There are numerous peripheral cues; one of them is group identity, which seems to have a varied effect on people - depending on their level of group identification.