Persuasion in Consumer Communication for Sustainability
1. Introduction
Persuasion: traditions
What makes communication persuasive according to Aristotle
1. Logos → logical arguments, message
2. Pathos → emotional appeals, audience
3. Ethos → good character of the speaker, communicator
Social science / empirical approaches 20th century.
Six weapons of influence (Cialdini). Famous book. Will be covered later in this course.
Persuasion: a definition
Persuasion as a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people to change
their own attitudes or behaviours regarding an issue through the transmission of a message in an
atmosphere of free choice.
• Relies on symbols: words, signs, images
• Involves an attempt to influence: deliberative,
intentional, conscious (sales person that is
trying to sell you a specific car)
• Entails self-persuasion: persuade make the
change
• Requires transmission of message: argument, cues
• Assumes free choice: option to do not follow persuader
Persuasion vs. coercion
Persuasion
• Friend’s attempt to influence another’s opinion of movies
• Loved one’s antidrug appeal
• Advertising
• Health public service messages
• Political campaigns
• Sales and telemarketing
Coercion
• Threatening messages
• Employer’s directives
• Interrogation
• Communication in dangerously abusive relationships
• Ban on smoking
,• Enforcement of seat belt laws
➢ Nature of psychological threat
➢ Ability to do otherwise
➢ Request runs counter to one’s preference
Persuasion vs. propaganda/manipulation
Persuasion differs from propaganda “in its aims, in the means it uses, in the pressure it exerts, and in
the range of people it affects.
Three common features of propaganda:
• Control over the transmission of information
• Is directed towards masses of individuals
• And uses covert messages that disguise the true intent (manipulation)
Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and
direct behaviour to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.
Persuasion as a symbolic process in which
communicators try to convince other people
to change their own attitudes or behaviours
regarding an issue through the transmission
of a message in an atmosphere of free
choice.
To close: perspectives on persuasion
• Persuasion is ubiquitous in contemporary life
• Self-persuasion is central: we convince and change ourselves in response to persuasion
• Two very different ways people frequently process persuasive information: one effortful, the
other more automatic (dual-processing)
• Adopting an ethical approach to persuasion is crucial, particularly in an era of ever-subtle
technological tricks
• Ideas and concepts shade into each other: grey zones!
, 2. Rational Deliberation
Learning objectives
➢ Understand principles of (ideal) rational deliberation (= overweging)
➢ Describe how claims/controversies on different levels trigger different types of discourses
(discussie)
➢ Describe rhetorical strategies to develop persuasive arguments
The problem
We learn to use communication in an instrumental way in different roles:
Systematic distortion (vervorming) of communication
Spaces for understanding and deliberation needed
Rational deliberation: Juergen Habermas
Some assumptions: all people possess rationality, all people are free and equal, all people need to
have a say in issues that affect them, all decision can be made in a consensual and rational way →
influential in research on deliberative democracy.
Some features of “ideal speech situations”
• Goal: “communicative action” – reaching consensus
• Procedural rules: no coercion, equality, inclusiveness
• Logical rules: no contradictions, inconsistencies, or equivocations (i.e. using same words with
different meaning)
• Presuppositions to agree on validity
- Sincerity (i.e. the speaker’s authenticity, seriousness, honesty, non-deceptive intent)
- Truth (e.g. a fact, an objective finding)
- Rightness (e.g. moral rules and principles)
Student and
professor.
Where Habernass is referring to is really about the left side of the figure of the first reading,
consensual (free and informed exchange).
Types of discourses
What are different types of discourses (discussie) that are used in deliberation (overweging)?
• Explicative discourse: is it clear and understandable?
• Theoretical discourse: is it true? Is it effective?
• Practical discourse: is it relevant and justified?
1. Introduction
Persuasion: traditions
What makes communication persuasive according to Aristotle
1. Logos → logical arguments, message
2. Pathos → emotional appeals, audience
3. Ethos → good character of the speaker, communicator
Social science / empirical approaches 20th century.
Six weapons of influence (Cialdini). Famous book. Will be covered later in this course.
Persuasion: a definition
Persuasion as a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people to change
their own attitudes or behaviours regarding an issue through the transmission of a message in an
atmosphere of free choice.
• Relies on symbols: words, signs, images
• Involves an attempt to influence: deliberative,
intentional, conscious (sales person that is
trying to sell you a specific car)
• Entails self-persuasion: persuade make the
change
• Requires transmission of message: argument, cues
• Assumes free choice: option to do not follow persuader
Persuasion vs. coercion
Persuasion
• Friend’s attempt to influence another’s opinion of movies
• Loved one’s antidrug appeal
• Advertising
• Health public service messages
• Political campaigns
• Sales and telemarketing
Coercion
• Threatening messages
• Employer’s directives
• Interrogation
• Communication in dangerously abusive relationships
• Ban on smoking
,• Enforcement of seat belt laws
➢ Nature of psychological threat
➢ Ability to do otherwise
➢ Request runs counter to one’s preference
Persuasion vs. propaganda/manipulation
Persuasion differs from propaganda “in its aims, in the means it uses, in the pressure it exerts, and in
the range of people it affects.
Three common features of propaganda:
• Control over the transmission of information
• Is directed towards masses of individuals
• And uses covert messages that disguise the true intent (manipulation)
Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and
direct behaviour to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.
Persuasion as a symbolic process in which
communicators try to convince other people
to change their own attitudes or behaviours
regarding an issue through the transmission
of a message in an atmosphere of free
choice.
To close: perspectives on persuasion
• Persuasion is ubiquitous in contemporary life
• Self-persuasion is central: we convince and change ourselves in response to persuasion
• Two very different ways people frequently process persuasive information: one effortful, the
other more automatic (dual-processing)
• Adopting an ethical approach to persuasion is crucial, particularly in an era of ever-subtle
technological tricks
• Ideas and concepts shade into each other: grey zones!
, 2. Rational Deliberation
Learning objectives
➢ Understand principles of (ideal) rational deliberation (= overweging)
➢ Describe how claims/controversies on different levels trigger different types of discourses
(discussie)
➢ Describe rhetorical strategies to develop persuasive arguments
The problem
We learn to use communication in an instrumental way in different roles:
Systematic distortion (vervorming) of communication
Spaces for understanding and deliberation needed
Rational deliberation: Juergen Habermas
Some assumptions: all people possess rationality, all people are free and equal, all people need to
have a say in issues that affect them, all decision can be made in a consensual and rational way →
influential in research on deliberative democracy.
Some features of “ideal speech situations”
• Goal: “communicative action” – reaching consensus
• Procedural rules: no coercion, equality, inclusiveness
• Logical rules: no contradictions, inconsistencies, or equivocations (i.e. using same words with
different meaning)
• Presuppositions to agree on validity
- Sincerity (i.e. the speaker’s authenticity, seriousness, honesty, non-deceptive intent)
- Truth (e.g. a fact, an objective finding)
- Rightness (e.g. moral rules and principles)
Student and
professor.
Where Habernass is referring to is really about the left side of the figure of the first reading,
consensual (free and informed exchange).
Types of discourses
What are different types of discourses (discussie) that are used in deliberation (overweging)?
• Explicative discourse: is it clear and understandable?
• Theoretical discourse: is it true? Is it effective?
• Practical discourse: is it relevant and justified?
