1. Introduction
1.1 Persuasion
Persuasion is a process in which a communicator (attempts to) induce(s) a
change in belief, attitude or behavior of another person, and the persuadee has a
perceived sense of freedom.
Persuasion versus coercion
The perceived amount of freedom is the difference between persuasion and
coercion:
When the persuadee has a perceived sense of freedom, the process is called
persuasion.
When the persuadee no perceived sense of freedom, the process is called
coercion.
Negative labels of persuasion
‘Magical’ concepts of persuasion, like brainwashing, mind control and
propaganda, do not explain persuasion processes. These are negative labels of
persuasion.
Persuasion in daily life
Persuasion is everywhere; in movies, tv series, in our clothing, when we drive,
when we argue and also in unexpected places. Professionals who practice
persuasion are lawyer, social workers, teachers, scientists, journalists, parents,
police officers, salesmen, politicians, etc.
Benefits of studying persuasion
There are three important benefits of studying persuasion:
Become a more effective persuader
Increase knowledge
Become perceptive and defensive.
Other people will often try to persuade or manipulate you to agree with them or
to say yes. Awareness of these tendencies is our best defense and can help you
become a better persuader yourself.
Criticisms of persuasion
One of the common criticisms of studying persuasion is the notion that is fosters
a manipulative or coercive approach to communication or relationships with
others. An additional complaint that has been leveled against the study of
persuasion is that it has led to findings that are trivial, overly qualified, or
contradictory in nature. Empirical investigations of persuasion have not yielded
clear and consistent generalizations, nor have they offered results that are
applicable to real life.
,1.2 The ‘Cialdini heuristics’
The ‘Cialdini heuristics’ are based on social heuristics. There are implicit, shortcut
rules that guide our behavior. We have learned that acting in a particular way is
usually optimal.
Fixed-action patterns
Ethologists, researchers who study animal behavior in the natural environment,
have noticed that among many animal species behavior often occurs in rigid and
mechanical patterns. These patterns are called fixed-action patterns. The
mechanical behavior sequences are similar to certain automatic (click, whirr)
responding by humans. Click!: and the appropriate tape is activated. Whirr!: and
out rolls the standard sequence of behavior. For both humans and sub humans,
the automatic behavior patterns tend to be triggered by a single feature, or
trigger feature, of the relevant information in the situation. Both price and
experts can be used as a trigger feature or Click!
Advantages of heuristics
The advantage of such shortcut responding lies in its efficiency and economy. By
reacting automatically to a usually informative trigger feature, an individual
preserves crucial time, energy and mental capacity.
Disadvantages of heuristics
The disadvantage of such responding lies in its vulnerability to silly and costly
mistakes. By reacting to only a piece of the available information (even a
normally predictive piece), an individual increases the chances of error, especially
when responding in an automatic, mindless fashion. The chances of error
increase even further when other individuals seek to profit by arranging (through
manipulation of trigger features) to stimulate a desired behavior at inappropriate
times.
Compliance process
The compliance process is a process wherein one person is stimulated to comply
with another person’s request. It can be understood in terms of a human
tendency for automatic, shortcut responding. Most individuals in our culture have
developed a set of trigger features for compliance, that is, a set of specific pieces
of information that normally tells us when compliance with a request is likely to
be correct and beneficial. Each of these trigger features for compliance can be
used like a weapon (of influence) to stimulate people to agree to requests.
Apparent reasons can also stimulate people to comply to a request.
Prevalence of shortcut decision making
Cialdini concludes in his famous book “Influence” with a sobering point and he is
probably right. “Because of the increasing tendency for cognitive overload in our
society, the prevalence of shortcut decision making is likely to increase
proportionately.”
2
, 3
1.1 Persuasion
Persuasion is a process in which a communicator (attempts to) induce(s) a
change in belief, attitude or behavior of another person, and the persuadee has a
perceived sense of freedom.
Persuasion versus coercion
The perceived amount of freedom is the difference between persuasion and
coercion:
When the persuadee has a perceived sense of freedom, the process is called
persuasion.
When the persuadee no perceived sense of freedom, the process is called
coercion.
Negative labels of persuasion
‘Magical’ concepts of persuasion, like brainwashing, mind control and
propaganda, do not explain persuasion processes. These are negative labels of
persuasion.
Persuasion in daily life
Persuasion is everywhere; in movies, tv series, in our clothing, when we drive,
when we argue and also in unexpected places. Professionals who practice
persuasion are lawyer, social workers, teachers, scientists, journalists, parents,
police officers, salesmen, politicians, etc.
Benefits of studying persuasion
There are three important benefits of studying persuasion:
Become a more effective persuader
Increase knowledge
Become perceptive and defensive.
Other people will often try to persuade or manipulate you to agree with them or
to say yes. Awareness of these tendencies is our best defense and can help you
become a better persuader yourself.
Criticisms of persuasion
One of the common criticisms of studying persuasion is the notion that is fosters
a manipulative or coercive approach to communication or relationships with
others. An additional complaint that has been leveled against the study of
persuasion is that it has led to findings that are trivial, overly qualified, or
contradictory in nature. Empirical investigations of persuasion have not yielded
clear and consistent generalizations, nor have they offered results that are
applicable to real life.
,1.2 The ‘Cialdini heuristics’
The ‘Cialdini heuristics’ are based on social heuristics. There are implicit, shortcut
rules that guide our behavior. We have learned that acting in a particular way is
usually optimal.
Fixed-action patterns
Ethologists, researchers who study animal behavior in the natural environment,
have noticed that among many animal species behavior often occurs in rigid and
mechanical patterns. These patterns are called fixed-action patterns. The
mechanical behavior sequences are similar to certain automatic (click, whirr)
responding by humans. Click!: and the appropriate tape is activated. Whirr!: and
out rolls the standard sequence of behavior. For both humans and sub humans,
the automatic behavior patterns tend to be triggered by a single feature, or
trigger feature, of the relevant information in the situation. Both price and
experts can be used as a trigger feature or Click!
Advantages of heuristics
The advantage of such shortcut responding lies in its efficiency and economy. By
reacting automatically to a usually informative trigger feature, an individual
preserves crucial time, energy and mental capacity.
Disadvantages of heuristics
The disadvantage of such responding lies in its vulnerability to silly and costly
mistakes. By reacting to only a piece of the available information (even a
normally predictive piece), an individual increases the chances of error, especially
when responding in an automatic, mindless fashion. The chances of error
increase even further when other individuals seek to profit by arranging (through
manipulation of trigger features) to stimulate a desired behavior at inappropriate
times.
Compliance process
The compliance process is a process wherein one person is stimulated to comply
with another person’s request. It can be understood in terms of a human
tendency for automatic, shortcut responding. Most individuals in our culture have
developed a set of trigger features for compliance, that is, a set of specific pieces
of information that normally tells us when compliance with a request is likely to
be correct and beneficial. Each of these trigger features for compliance can be
used like a weapon (of influence) to stimulate people to agree to requests.
Apparent reasons can also stimulate people to comply to a request.
Prevalence of shortcut decision making
Cialdini concludes in his famous book “Influence” with a sobering point and he is
probably right. “Because of the increasing tendency for cognitive overload in our
society, the prevalence of shortcut decision making is likely to increase
proportionately.”
2
, 3
