Persuasive Communication Summary
Table of Contents
Chapter 1...................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 What is persuasion?.......................................................................................................................................3
1.2 What is the difference between persuasive and informative documents?...................................................3
1.3 What four instruments are available to a government when they want to influence behavior?.................4
1.3.1 What is the role of “enforcement burden” and “personal responsibility” in the choice between these
measures?.......................................................................................................................................................4
1.3.2 How does urgency of the situation influence the choice between these measures?............................4
1.3.3 What dimensions play a role in not-so-urgent situations?....................................................................4
1.3.4 When should communication be considered as a way to influence behavior?.....................................5
1.4 What is meant by “effect size”?.....................................................................................................................5
1.4.1 What is the take-home message of the authors about the effect-size of communication research?...5
Chapter 2...................................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 What is priming?............................................................................................................................................6
2.2 What are the components of the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction and how are they related?
(You should be able to draw the model and fill in the boxes).............................................................................6
2.2.1 Are the determinants of behavior the same for every behavior?..........................................................6
2.2.2 Are the determinants of behavioral intention the same for every behavior?.......................................6
2.2.3 How can distal variables influence behavior?.......................................................................................7
2.3 What is the difference between goal attitudes and behavioral attitudes?...................................................7
2.4 How can attitudes be measured using a rating scale? Give an example.......................................................7
2.4.1 What are two possible disadvantages of using these ratings?.............................................................7
2.4.2 What is suggested as a possible alternative way of measuring attitude?............................................8
2.5 What are the fundamentals of attitudes according to the reader?...............................................................8
2.5.1 What is an attitude anyway?.................................................................................................................8
2.5.2 How are values and attitudes related?..................................................................................................8
2.5.3 What is conditioning?............................................................................................................................9
2.5.4 What is mere exposure?........................................................................................................................9
2.5.5 What is cognitive dissonance?...............................................................................................................9
Chapter 3...................................................................................................................................................... 9
3.1 What are the three steps in the information processing model of McGuire?............................................10
3.2 What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model? (You should be able to draw the model and fill in the boxes)
...........................................................................................................................................................................10
3.2.1 What does Elaboration mean?............................................................................................................10
3.2.2 What does Likelihood have to do with it?...........................................................................................11
3.2.3 What factors influence this Likelihood of Elaboration?.......................................................................11
3.2.4 How does the ELM work? Give an example.........................................................................................11
3.3 What is the Heuristic Systematic Model?....................................................................................................12
3.3.1 What does Heuristic mean?.................................................................................................................12
3.3.2 What does Systematic have to do with it?..........................................................................................13
3.3.3 How does the HSM work? Give an example........................................................................................13
3.4 Is there a difference between the ELM and the HSM?................................................................................13
Chapter 4.................................................................................................................................................... 13
4.1 What are the three latitudes? Give a description.......................................................................................13
4.2 How can you decide which position to take in a campaign?.......................................................................14
4.3 What are the problem-solution structure and the goal-means structure?.................................................14
, 4.4 What is a rhetorical question and what can it do for persuasion?..............................................................15
4.5 What is self-referencing and why would people use it in persuasion?.......................................................15
Chapter 5.................................................................................................................................................... 15
5.1 What is pragmatic argumentation?.............................................................................................................15
5.1.1 What role do the concepts desirability of the consequence and probability of the consequence given
the action play in pragmatic argumentation?.............................................................................................15
5.1.2 Are People better able to judge desirability or probability?................................................................15
5.2 What is Framing...........................................................................................................................................16
5.2.1 What is the difference between a gain-frame and a loss-frame?.......................................................16
5.2.2 Which one works best (according to O’Keefe & Jensen 06/07)?.........................................................16
5.2.3 What is a fear-appeal?........................................................................................................................16
5.2.4 How does the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) work? (You should be able to draw the
model and fill in the boxes)...........................................................................................................................17
5.2.5 When is a message effective according to the EPPM?........................................................................18
5.3 What four types of evidence can you bring to bear to support a claim?....................................................18
5.3.1 What is an exemplar? Give an example..............................................................................................20
5.3.2 What is an argument from analogy? Give an example.......................................................................20
5.3.3 What is an argument from generalization? Give an example.............................................................20
5.3.4 What is an argument from statistics? Give an example......................................................................21
5.3.5 What is an argument from authority? Give an example.....................................................................21
Chapter 6.................................................................................................................................................... 21
6.1 What are rules of thumb? Give examples...................................................................................................21
6.1.1 What factors influence source credibility?..........................................................................................21
6.1.2 What types of experts can you discern?..............................................................................................21
6.2 What are peripheral cues? Give examples..................................................................................................22
6.2.1 Can adjectives serve as cues?..............................................................................................................22
6.2.2 Can pictures serve as cues?.................................................................................................................22
Chapter 7.................................................................................................................................................... 22
7.1 What is a rhetorical figure?..........................................................................................................................22
7.1.1 What is the difference between schemes and tropes? Give examples................................................23
7.1.2 Can there be schemes and tropes in the visual domain? Describe examples.....................................23
7.1.3 What possible roles could rhetorical figures play in persuasion?.......................................................23
Chapter 8.................................................................................................................................................... 24
8.1 What is Hofstede’ s definition of culture?...................................................................................................24
8.2 What is the dimension Individualism versus Collectivism about?...............................................................24
8.3 What is the dimension Uncertainty Avoidance about?...............................................................................24
8.4 What is the dimension Power Distance about?...........................................................................................24
8.5 What is the dimension Masculinity versus Femininity about?....................................................................25
8.6 What is the difference between analytical thinking and holistic thinking?.................................................25
Chapter 9.................................................................................................................................................... 25
9.1 What are the different steps in research based on Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction?..............25
9.1.1 Describe the different steps in the qualitative research on target group beliefs................................25
9.1.2 What are the different components of behavior that should be specified when measuring behavior
and behavioral intention?............................................................................................................................26
9.1.3 How can you measure behavioral intention?......................................................................................26
9.1.4 How can you measure attitude?..........................................................................................................26
9.1.5 How can you measure perceived norm?..............................................................................................26
9.1.6 How can you measure self-efficacy?....................................................................................................26
9.1.7 How can you measure behavioral beliefs (probability and desirability)?...........................................26
9.1.8 How can you measure normative beliefs (plus motivation to conform)?............................................26
, 9.1.9 How can you measure descriptive beliefs (plus degree of identification)?.........................................26
9.1.10 How can you measure power of control beliefs (plus impact of the control variable)?....................26
9.2 How can you pretest your communication product?..................................................................................26
9.2.1 What is the plus-and-minus method?.................................................................................................27
Chapter 1.
1.1 What is persuasion?
“Persuasion is a successful intentional effort at influencing another’s mental state through
communication in a circumstance in which the persuade has some measure of freedom”
(O’Keefe, 2002)
• Persuasion only occurs if the mental state of the persuade is indeed changed.
• Intentional: it was the speaker’s intention to change the interlocutor’s mind since is
possible to change opinions unintentionally.
• Mental state=attitude
1.2 What is the difference between persuasive and informative documents?
Intention to influence is the distinguishing feature between persuasive and informative docs.
The writer’s intention doesn’t guarantee that the intended effect will be achieved, and the
reverse can also occur, when the readers draw can conclusions that were never intended by
the writer.
• Informative documents intended to provide information (ex. Newspapers) o They
read more from the perspective of the communication principle which four Criteria
must be met for:
Clarity
Honesty
Efficency
Relevance
o Reader of persuasive documents appear unconvinced that this has been done
since the writer has an interest in suppressive negative arguments
• Persuasive documents intend to convince reader form a particular point of view (ex.
Advertisements)
• Directive communication: has the intention of bringing the reader to a conclusion
which is persuasive
• Non-directive Communication does not Reader has to come to his/her own
conclusion which is informative
Table of Contents
Chapter 1...................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 What is persuasion?.......................................................................................................................................3
1.2 What is the difference between persuasive and informative documents?...................................................3
1.3 What four instruments are available to a government when they want to influence behavior?.................4
1.3.1 What is the role of “enforcement burden” and “personal responsibility” in the choice between these
measures?.......................................................................................................................................................4
1.3.2 How does urgency of the situation influence the choice between these measures?............................4
1.3.3 What dimensions play a role in not-so-urgent situations?....................................................................4
1.3.4 When should communication be considered as a way to influence behavior?.....................................5
1.4 What is meant by “effect size”?.....................................................................................................................5
1.4.1 What is the take-home message of the authors about the effect-size of communication research?...5
Chapter 2...................................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 What is priming?............................................................................................................................................6
2.2 What are the components of the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction and how are they related?
(You should be able to draw the model and fill in the boxes).............................................................................6
2.2.1 Are the determinants of behavior the same for every behavior?..........................................................6
2.2.2 Are the determinants of behavioral intention the same for every behavior?.......................................6
2.2.3 How can distal variables influence behavior?.......................................................................................7
2.3 What is the difference between goal attitudes and behavioral attitudes?...................................................7
2.4 How can attitudes be measured using a rating scale? Give an example.......................................................7
2.4.1 What are two possible disadvantages of using these ratings?.............................................................7
2.4.2 What is suggested as a possible alternative way of measuring attitude?............................................8
2.5 What are the fundamentals of attitudes according to the reader?...............................................................8
2.5.1 What is an attitude anyway?.................................................................................................................8
2.5.2 How are values and attitudes related?..................................................................................................8
2.5.3 What is conditioning?............................................................................................................................9
2.5.4 What is mere exposure?........................................................................................................................9
2.5.5 What is cognitive dissonance?...............................................................................................................9
Chapter 3...................................................................................................................................................... 9
3.1 What are the three steps in the information processing model of McGuire?............................................10
3.2 What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model? (You should be able to draw the model and fill in the boxes)
...........................................................................................................................................................................10
3.2.1 What does Elaboration mean?............................................................................................................10
3.2.2 What does Likelihood have to do with it?...........................................................................................11
3.2.3 What factors influence this Likelihood of Elaboration?.......................................................................11
3.2.4 How does the ELM work? Give an example.........................................................................................11
3.3 What is the Heuristic Systematic Model?....................................................................................................12
3.3.1 What does Heuristic mean?.................................................................................................................12
3.3.2 What does Systematic have to do with it?..........................................................................................13
3.3.3 How does the HSM work? Give an example........................................................................................13
3.4 Is there a difference between the ELM and the HSM?................................................................................13
Chapter 4.................................................................................................................................................... 13
4.1 What are the three latitudes? Give a description.......................................................................................13
4.2 How can you decide which position to take in a campaign?.......................................................................14
4.3 What are the problem-solution structure and the goal-means structure?.................................................14
, 4.4 What is a rhetorical question and what can it do for persuasion?..............................................................15
4.5 What is self-referencing and why would people use it in persuasion?.......................................................15
Chapter 5.................................................................................................................................................... 15
5.1 What is pragmatic argumentation?.............................................................................................................15
5.1.1 What role do the concepts desirability of the consequence and probability of the consequence given
the action play in pragmatic argumentation?.............................................................................................15
5.1.2 Are People better able to judge desirability or probability?................................................................15
5.2 What is Framing...........................................................................................................................................16
5.2.1 What is the difference between a gain-frame and a loss-frame?.......................................................16
5.2.2 Which one works best (according to O’Keefe & Jensen 06/07)?.........................................................16
5.2.3 What is a fear-appeal?........................................................................................................................16
5.2.4 How does the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) work? (You should be able to draw the
model and fill in the boxes)...........................................................................................................................17
5.2.5 When is a message effective according to the EPPM?........................................................................18
5.3 What four types of evidence can you bring to bear to support a claim?....................................................18
5.3.1 What is an exemplar? Give an example..............................................................................................20
5.3.2 What is an argument from analogy? Give an example.......................................................................20
5.3.3 What is an argument from generalization? Give an example.............................................................20
5.3.4 What is an argument from statistics? Give an example......................................................................21
5.3.5 What is an argument from authority? Give an example.....................................................................21
Chapter 6.................................................................................................................................................... 21
6.1 What are rules of thumb? Give examples...................................................................................................21
6.1.1 What factors influence source credibility?..........................................................................................21
6.1.2 What types of experts can you discern?..............................................................................................21
6.2 What are peripheral cues? Give examples..................................................................................................22
6.2.1 Can adjectives serve as cues?..............................................................................................................22
6.2.2 Can pictures serve as cues?.................................................................................................................22
Chapter 7.................................................................................................................................................... 22
7.1 What is a rhetorical figure?..........................................................................................................................22
7.1.1 What is the difference between schemes and tropes? Give examples................................................23
7.1.2 Can there be schemes and tropes in the visual domain? Describe examples.....................................23
7.1.3 What possible roles could rhetorical figures play in persuasion?.......................................................23
Chapter 8.................................................................................................................................................... 24
8.1 What is Hofstede’ s definition of culture?...................................................................................................24
8.2 What is the dimension Individualism versus Collectivism about?...............................................................24
8.3 What is the dimension Uncertainty Avoidance about?...............................................................................24
8.4 What is the dimension Power Distance about?...........................................................................................24
8.5 What is the dimension Masculinity versus Femininity about?....................................................................25
8.6 What is the difference between analytical thinking and holistic thinking?.................................................25
Chapter 9.................................................................................................................................................... 25
9.1 What are the different steps in research based on Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction?..............25
9.1.1 Describe the different steps in the qualitative research on target group beliefs................................25
9.1.2 What are the different components of behavior that should be specified when measuring behavior
and behavioral intention?............................................................................................................................26
9.1.3 How can you measure behavioral intention?......................................................................................26
9.1.4 How can you measure attitude?..........................................................................................................26
9.1.5 How can you measure perceived norm?..............................................................................................26
9.1.6 How can you measure self-efficacy?....................................................................................................26
9.1.7 How can you measure behavioral beliefs (probability and desirability)?...........................................26
9.1.8 How can you measure normative beliefs (plus motivation to conform)?............................................26
, 9.1.9 How can you measure descriptive beliefs (plus degree of identification)?.........................................26
9.1.10 How can you measure power of control beliefs (plus impact of the control variable)?....................26
9.2 How can you pretest your communication product?..................................................................................26
9.2.1 What is the plus-and-minus method?.................................................................................................27
Chapter 1.
1.1 What is persuasion?
“Persuasion is a successful intentional effort at influencing another’s mental state through
communication in a circumstance in which the persuade has some measure of freedom”
(O’Keefe, 2002)
• Persuasion only occurs if the mental state of the persuade is indeed changed.
• Intentional: it was the speaker’s intention to change the interlocutor’s mind since is
possible to change opinions unintentionally.
• Mental state=attitude
1.2 What is the difference between persuasive and informative documents?
Intention to influence is the distinguishing feature between persuasive and informative docs.
The writer’s intention doesn’t guarantee that the intended effect will be achieved, and the
reverse can also occur, when the readers draw can conclusions that were never intended by
the writer.
• Informative documents intended to provide information (ex. Newspapers) o They
read more from the perspective of the communication principle which four Criteria
must be met for:
Clarity
Honesty
Efficency
Relevance
o Reader of persuasive documents appear unconvinced that this has been done
since the writer has an interest in suppressive negative arguments
• Persuasive documents intend to convince reader form a particular point of view (ex.
Advertisements)
• Directive communication: has the intention of bringing the reader to a conclusion
which is persuasive
• Non-directive Communication does not Reader has to come to his/her own
conclusion which is informative
