Chapter 8 Social Influence And Persuasion Part 2 Two Types Of Soci ✓ Solved

Chapter 8 - Social Influence and Persuasion – Part 2 • Two Types of Social Influence • Techniques of Social Influence • Persuasion • Resisting Persuasion Persuasion • Attempt to change a person’s mind • Three components of persuasion – Who – Source of the message – Say What – Actual message – To Whom – Audience Who: The Source • Source credibility – Expertise and trustworthiness – Sleeper effect – over time, people separate the message from the messenger • Source likability – Similarity and physical attractiveness – Halo effect Say What: The Message • Reason Versus Emotion – People in a good mood – more responsive to persuasive messages – Moderate fear appeals – most persuasive The Social Side of Sex Scared into Safe Sex? • Effect of fear inspiring anti-AIDs films – Fear-inducing message was rejected by sexually-active college students • Instilling fear is unreliable mode of influence – People resist feeling bad Say What: The Message • Stealing Thunder – Revealing potentially incriminating evidence to negate its importance – Source appears more honest and credible Say What: The Message • Repetition – If neutral or positive response initially, repeated exposure = persuasive message – Advertisement wear-out – Repetition with variety • Advertisement wear-out – is a “condition of inattention and possible irritation that occurs after an audience or target market has encountered a specific advertisement too many times†Say What: The Message • Repetition with variation – repeat the same information, but in a varied format To Whom: The Audience • Moderately intelligent are easiest to persuade • People high in need for cognition are more persuaded by strong arguments – Attitudes are more resistant to change • People high in public self-consciousness are more persuaded by name brand and styles To Whom: The Audience • Impressionable years hypothesis – Middle-aged people most resistant to persuasion • Attitudes formed in young adulthood remain fairly stable over time • Messages consistent with cultural values are more persuasive To Whom: The Audience • “Overheard†messages are more persuasive – Product placements • Distraction – Effective if the message is weak – Less effective with a strong message Two Routes to Persuasion • Elaboration likelihood model • Heuristic/Systematic model – Both propose automatic and conscious processing are involved in persuasion Two Routes to Persuasion • Central route – Involves conscious processing – Careful and thoughtful consideration • Peripheral route – Involves automatic processing – Influenced by some simple cue Elaboration Likelihood Model • Motivation to process message – Personal relevance – Need for cognition • Ability to process – Distractions – Knowledge Elaboration Likelihood Model • Type of cognitive processing – Quality of the arguments – Initial attitude • Peripheral cues – Speaker credibility – Reaction of others – External rewards Alpha and Omega Strategies • Alpha strategies – Persuade by increasing approach forces • Omega strategies – Persuade by decreasing avoidance forces • When approach forces are greater than avoidance forces – movement toward goal Alpha Strategies • Make messages more persuasive – Strong arguments that compel action • Add incentives • Increase source credibility • Provide consensus information Resisting Persuasion • Attitude Inoculation • When people resist persuasion, they become more confident in their initial attitudes • Advance warning of a persuasive message – Negative attitude change – Boomerang effect • Stockpile resources Defenses Against Techniques • Commitment and Consistency – Reexamine the sense of obligation • Reciprocation – Evaluate favors or concessions to avoid guilt over lack of reciprocity Defenses Against Techniques • Scarcity – Recognize psychological reactance as a signal to think rationally – Evaluate the reason we want the item • Capturing and Disrupting Attention – Stop and think before action • Social Proof – Recognize ‘fake’ social proofs What Makes Us Human? • Only humans have two routes to persuasion • Only humans respond to social pressures while keeping their doubts to themselves • People are uniquely able to resist persuasion Chapter 8 - Social Influence and Persuasion – Part 1 • Two Types of Social Influence • Techniques of Social Influence • Persuasion • Resisting Persuasion Social Influence and Persuasion • James Warren Jones – Jonestown (1978) • How could Jim Jones have influenced his followers to such a deep level that more than 900 committed revolutionary suicide?

Normative Social Influence • Normative Influence – Going along with the crowd to be liked • Asch (1955) study of normative influence – Conformity increases as group size increases – Dissension reduces conformity • Deviating from the group – Social rejection Informational Social Influence • Going along with the crowd because you believe the crowd knows more than you do – Autokinetic effect – Sherif – Group norm Two Types of Social Influence • Informational influence produces private acceptance – Genuine inner belief that others are right • Normative influence produces public compliance – Inner belief that the group is wrong Techniques of Social Influence • Foot-in-the-Door Technique – Start with small request to gain eventual compliance with larger request • Low-ball Technique – Start with low-cost request and later reveal the hidden costs • Both based on principles of commitment and consistency Techniques of Social Influence • Bait-and-Switch Technique – Draw people in with an attractive offer that is not available and then switch to a less attractive offer that is available – Based on principle of commitment and consistency Techniques of Social Influence • Labeling Technique – Assigning a label to an individual and then making a request consistent with that label – Based on commitment and consistency • Legitimization-of-Paltry-Favors Technique – Make a small amount of aid acceptable Techniques Based on Reciprocation • Door-in-the-Face Technique – Start with an inflated request and then retreat to a smaller one that appears to be a concession – Does not work if the first request is viewed as unreasonable – Does not work if requests are made by different people Techniques Based on Reciprocation • That’s-Not-All Technique – Begin with inflated request but immediately add to the deal by offering a bonus or discount Techniques Based on Scarcity • Rare opportunities are more valuable than plentiful ones • Scarcity heuristic in decision making • Psychological reactance – When personal freedoms are threatened, we experience this unpleasant emotional response Techniques Based on Capturing and Disrupting Attention • Pique Technique – One captures people’s attention by making a novel request • Disrupt-then-Reframe Technique – Introduce an unexpected element that disrupts critical thinking and then reframe the message in a positive light

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Social Influence and Persuasion: A Comprehensive Overview

Introduction

Social influence and persuasion are fundamental elements of human communication and interaction that encompass how individuals affect one another's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. This essay delves into the complexity of social influence and various persuasive techniques, illustrating how they vary according to the source of the message, the content, and the audience. By understanding these components along with strategies to resist persuasion, we enhance our awareness of social dynamics that pervade various aspects of life — from advertising to intergroup relations and beyond.

Two Types of Social Influence

Social influence operates through two primary forms: normative influence and informational influence. Normative influence involves conformity to group norms for the purpose of acceptance; a classic illustration is Asch's (1955) conformity experiments, in which participants would go along with group views even when they were clearly incorrect to avoid social rejection (Cialdini, 2001). Informational influence, on the other hand, is rooted in the belief that others possess more accurate information, leading individuals to conform privately to the group’s views, as demonstrated by Sherif’s (1936) autokinetic effect study (Hinsz et al., 2020).

Techniques of Social Influence

A variety of techniques have been identified that exploit these influences to achieve compliance. These include:
1. Foot-in-the-Door Technique: This approach starts with a small request before making a larger request, capitalizing on the principle of commitment (Freedman & Fraser, 1966). The initial agreement paves the way for a subsequent commitment.
2. Low-Ball Technique: Initially presenting a low-cost request and later revealing hidden costs is another form of persuading individuals, encouraging compliance through established agreement (Cialdini et al., 1978).
3. Bait-and-Switch Technique: Attractive offers lure individuals, creating a commitment, after which they are directed to less desirable options (Cialdini et al., 1975).
4. Labeling Technique: By assigning a descriptive label to individuals and then requesting compliance consistent with that label, persuaders increase the likelihood of agreement (Tiden et al., 2017).
5. Door-in-the-Face Technique: After making an exaggerated initial request, reducing it appears as a concession, making the smaller request seem more reasonable (Cialdini et al., 1975).
6. Scarcity Techniques: Individuals tend to value rare opportunities more highly. This principle often leads to impulse buying and emotional reactions like psychological reactance (Brehm, 1966).
7. Attention-Capturing Techniques: Techniques such as the ‘pique technique’ involve novel requests to capture attention, while the ‘disrupt-then-reframe’ technique disrupts critical thinking through unexpected elements (Dahl et al., 2007).

Persuasion Components

Persuasion hinges on three critical components: the source of the message, the message content, and the audience.
1. Source Credibility: Sources that are perceived as credible—exhibiting expertise and trustworthiness—are more persuasive (Hovland & Weiss, 1951). The sleeper effect demonstrates how, over time, individuals can detach the message from its source, making it seem more acceptable (Kelley, 1951).
2. Message Characteristics: The emotional versus rational appeal is a key factor in how effectively a message persuades. Messages delivered in a favorable mood tend to be more persuasive, and moderate fear appeal can effectively drive motivation without causing avoidance (Witte & Allen, 2000).
3. Audience Dynamics: The characteristics of the audience also play a role in persuasion. Moderately intelligent individuals are generally the most persuadable (Friedman & Friedman, 1979). Furthermore, individuals who are high in public self-consciousness are more likely to conform to social norms associated with brand choices (Pracejus & Olsen, 2004).

Two Routes to Persuasion

The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) posits two routes for processing persuasive messages: the central and peripheral routes (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986).
- Central Route: It entails thoughtful consideration of arguments and is influenced by the quality of the messages presented. Individuals who have high motivation and ability to process the message effectively make decisions based on the merits of the arguments (Petty et al., 1981).
- Peripheral Route: This route involves less cognitive engagement and instead relies on superficial cues such as attractiveness or endorsements, making it less enduring but faster in its effects (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986).

Resisting Persuasion

An understanding of persuasion also involves recognizing methods to resist it. Attitude inoculation, for instance, prepares individuals for persuasive attempts, promoting confidence in their pre-existing beliefs (McGuire, 1961). The concept of the boomerang effect, where efforts to persuade result in stronger adherence to initial attitudes, underscores the complexity of behavioral change.
Strategies such as re-evaluating commitments and considering reciprocal concessions help individuals develop defenses against manipulation. Additionally, being aware of cues signifying scarcity can empower individuals to critically assess their desires and motives for consumption (Cialdini, 2009).

Conclusion

Social influence and persuasion shape almost every aspect of human interaction, offering both opportunities and challenges. An appreciation of the various techniques and principles of persuasion can enhance our communication strategies while protecting us from undue influence in daily decision-making processes. As modern society increasingly relies on digital platforms rife with persuasive messages, understanding these principles becomes even more crucial, allowing individuals to navigate complex social landscapes effectively.

References

1. Brehm, J. W. (1966). A Theory of Psychological Reactance. New York: Academic Press.
2. Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
3. Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: Science and Practice. 5th Edition. Boston: Pearson.
4. Cialdini, R. B., et al. (1975). Before-You-Act-and-Not-After: A Study of the "Door-in-the-Face" Technique. Social Influence, 30(1), 17-29.
5. Dahl, D. W., et al. (2007). The Pique Technique: Capturing Consumers' Attention. Journal of Advertising Research, 47(2), 223-236.
6. Freedman, J. L., & Fraser, S. S. (1966). The Large Request Followed by a Small Request Technique. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4(1), 195-202.
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8. Hinsz, V. B., et al. (2020). Normative Social Influence and Conformity. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 23(3), 323-342.
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