Chapter 3: Mass Communication, Propaganda, and Persuasion

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Chapter 3Mass Communication,Propaganda, and
Persuasion
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Routes to Persuasion

• Central
• Peripheral
• Few appeals use one route or the other
  exclusively
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Key factors in effectiveness of communication

• 1. Source of communication
• 2. Nature of communication
• 3. Characteristics of the Audience

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Source of the Communication

• Expert and trustworthy.
• Attractiveness.
• Communicator argues against their own
  self-interest.
• Audience believes the communicator is not trying
  to influence them.
• If we like and identify likely to be
  influenced.

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Nature of the Communication

• Compelled by fear fear arousing with specific
  instructions more likely to change behavior. But
  if behavior is too threatening, avoided.
• Statistics vs. personal examples vivid powerful
• One-sided vs. two-sided arguments audience
  position and informed-ness
• Order of presentation of arguments primacy and
  recency (next slide)
• Relationship between credibility of communicator,
  discrepancy of views with audience, and
  persuasion.

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Primacy and Recency Effects

• Primacy
• Most evident when statements are back to back
• and behavior change follows a time gap
• Recency
• Most evident when enough time separates the two
  messages and audience commits soon after the
  second message.

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Characteristics of the Audience

• Self Esteem
• Higher less persuadable, more likely to act
  quickly in fear situation
• Prior Experience
• Happy and well fed
• Dont want to be led around
• Counter arguments on the spot
• Discrepant views, one or two sided arguments.

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Cognitive Dissonance and Persuasion

• If message of the communicator is inconsistent
  with the audience, persuasion depends on
• Size of the discrepancy
• Communicator variables (trustworthiness can the
  communicator be changed or derided?)
• Other audience responses
• Innoculation/ability to develop arguments in
  opposition

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A few social influence tactics

• Multiple Requests
• Foot-in-the-door small request at first to
  larger
• Door-in-the-Face large request to small
• Thats Not All! -- add incentives

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Your Persuasion Toolbag

• 1. How do you go about persuading others?
• 2. How do others try to persuade you?
• 3. Which attempts are effective? Why?

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Prevention, Intervention or Treatment?

• Primary prevention Efforts targeting a broad
  group, not necessarily at risk.
• Secondary prevention Efforts targeting a
  particular risk group.
• Tertiary prevention Efforts targeting people
  with the problem designed to reduce relapse or
  mitigate the negative consequences of the problem.

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What might you prevent?

• Driving While Texting
• Health problems
• Burnout
• Violence
• Eating disorders, unhealthy eating habits
• Your ideas?