Persuasion

( " Persuade " Latin persuadere =) Persuasive communication is a form of interpersonal communication that is aimed at influencing the communication partner. The primary goal of persuasive communication is to achieve a change, but not understanding or exchange of information. Persuasive communication is being investigated by the Communication Studies, for example, in the mass media communication, but also plays in other sciences (eg psychology, see: Persuasionstherapie ) play an important role. The persuasive communication is also a branch of modern scientific rhetoric. Due to the intention of influencing and persuasion, there is also a close proximity to classical rhetoric ( see, for example: sophism, eristic, Socratic dialogue).

Definition and incidence

Persuasive communication occurs ubiquitously, but particularly in mass communication, advertising and public relations communication, marketing, sales pitch, in political communication (eg propaganda ) as well as in psychotherapy. Persuasive communication is, however, often unconsciously, also part of private communications. With regard to the scientific definition and delimitation of the concept Persuasion to other communication science and psychological communication categories, there is as yet no consensus. According to Lewandowski ( 1979) wants the persuasive communication settings will not change the long term, but only achieve short-term goals. According to Robert Cialdini, however, is just the long-term Convince meant acting action-guiding.

In Germany, the persuasive communication is an integral part of teaching and research of the seminar (Department ) Rhetoric at the University of Tübingen. The persuasive communication has been studied systematically in 1953 by Carl I. Hovland of Yale University under the scheme of " who says what to whom ," summarized as Yale approach to attitude change. Experimentally, the persuasive effect of various forms of communication to be verified. Among other things, it was found that the inclusion of opposing arguments and positions in its communication of benefit and is adapted to invalidate further counter-arguments from the outset.

Models of attitude change

Elaboration Likelihood Model

The elaboration likelihood model (in short: ELM) by Richard Petty and John T. Cacioppo are two paths that can be followed in each case for conviction:

• The central route speaks to the mind of the opponent and cooperates for example with arguments.
• The peripheral route appeals to the feelings of the other person. Influence on the persuasiveness here have properties of the speaker such as sympathy and status but also simple heuristics.

The model assumes a continuum of information processing, that assumes that at higher central processing decreases the peripheral processing and vice versa.

Heuristic - systematic model

The heuristic- systematic model (abbreviated HSM ) is a 1980 developed by Shelly Chaiken model, which also comes from two possible ways of setting change:

• The systematic route corresponds to the central route of the ELM, thus saith the rational side of the recipient to
• The heuristic route, however, is much more narrowly defined than the peripheral route of the ELM. In HSM only include heuristics for peripheral information processing.

A special feature of HSM is that the two ways of information processing occur together and interact.

Emotional versus rational settings

Settings that are based on reasonable considerations of utility (for example, to household appliances or work clothes ), can be best changed by rational arguments. Settings, which are based on emotions (for example against perfumes or designer clothes), can be best change with emotional messages.

Foot -in- the-door technique

The name of this technique comes from sellers of doorstep selling, but is not limited to this range. She is described as follows: It asks a small favor to the opposite practically can not refuse. When the "foot" then again " in the door has " one moves out with the true demand. Because people want to appear consistent, they give the following major request for frequently. Statements provide the theory of self-perception of Daryl J. Bem and the theory of cognitive dissonance by Leon Festinger. ( See also: consistency theory. )

In the classic experiment by Jonathan Freedman and Scott Fraser (1966 ) they asked Californian housewives, to sign a petition for defensive driving. Two weeks later, these women and an equally large group were asked of previously mentioned women whether they would make a great billboard for defensive driving in their front yard. The number of approvals was in the " Petition group " three times as high as in the control group. This technique also make charities advantage, as in blood donation campaigns, or fundraising.

Door - in-the- face technique

The Door - in-the- face technique is described as follows: It asks for such a large, outrageous favor that virtually everyone refuses. Then you ask for something much lower ( the true demand ) and has a good chance that the other person does not swing this request and agrees. One speaks here of a zero offset.

The American psychologist Robert Cialdini demonstrated the Door - in-the- face technique in 1975 in an experiment:

Persuasive communication in psychotherapy

Also in the context of psychological and psychotherapeutic methods, the persuasive communication plays an important role. On the one hand directly under the inward persuasion of the patient, but also indirectly by the findings of persuasion are used to represent dysfunctional belief pattern of the patient in question. By the persuasion describes the process of the formation of attitudes, it also points the way to starting points for the questioning of opinions and cognitions. In particular, targeted interventions such as cognitive restructuring, certain forms of psychotherapy and traditional psychotherapeutic methods and effect-oriented techniques of coaching use, directly or indirectly, methods and / or findings of the persuasive communication.