Persuasion
Gal Harpaz, The Open University of Israel
doctorharpaz@gmail.com
Persuasion is a process through which a message to which a person is exposed creates, or is intended to create, a change in their attitudes, beliefs, intentions, or behavior. The goal of persuasive attempts is to produce change. This attempt can be specific or rooted in broader ideological principles. In any case, persuasion is a daily process present in all areas of life: in education in general, in medicine, advertising, media, interpersonal relationships, politics, the workplace, and more. Scholars have approached the concept of persuasion in diverse ways, providing distinct definitions that shed light on its multifaceted nature. Among these perspectives are characterisations of persuasion as a communication process for eliciting desired responses, a conscious attempt to influence attitudes or behavior through messages, a symbolic activity for internalisation, and a successful intentional effort in situations where individuals have some measure of freedom. Combining these insights, persuasion can be defined as a symbolic process in which communicators aim to convince others to change their attitudes or behavior on a particular issue through the transmission of a message, all within an environment of free choice. In order for a message to be persuasive, it must pass through several stages, as described in the following information-processing model: Exposure to the message - Attention to the message -Comprehension of the message - Belief in the message - Retention of the message - Acting upon the message. Lately, the American Psychological Association (2018) defined it as an active attempt by one person to change another person’s attitudes, beliefs, or emotions associated with some issue, person, concept, or object.
Keywords: attitudes, change, message
Related Entries: Attitude, Power
References:
Andersen, K. E. (1971). Persuasion: Theory and practice. Allyn and Bacon.
American Psychological Association (2018). https://dictionary.apa.org/
Bettinghaus, E. P., & Cody, M. J. (1987). Persuasive communication. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
McGuire, W. J. (1978). An information-processing model of advertising effectiveness. Behavioral and Management Science in Marketing, 15, 156-180.
