Social influence – the science of persuasion
By PAULA HENNESSY We’d all like to be more persuasive,
more able to clearly articulate our ideas or position and convince others to join us. Actually, being persuasive is a “science” that can be learned. Following the European victory in
World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt became concerned American soldiers might feel less motivated to continue to fight against Japan. Roosevelt invited Yale social psychologist Carl Hovland to create a way to motivate the military. Hovland had been researching the dynamics that result in effective persuasion and opinion change. He identified three distinct factors in positive persuasion called the Yale Attitude Change Model. Those influences include: • The communicator – Is the person
HOVLAND
credible? Is he perceived to be knowledgeable? Does she believe in what she is saying?
• The communication – Is the
message relevant and clear? Does it directly relate to a need? • The situation – Who is the audience?
Is the listener ready to receive the message? What is the importance or gravity of response to the listener? These concepts were successfully
applied during the war, and the science of attitude change is still being used today. So what’s the take away? If you want to persuade someone, be sure to consider these factors. Be sure: you are viewed as credible; your message is pertinent and easily understood by the listener; and your message is not frivolous and is important to both you and your audience. Hovland also studied whether it was
more effective to give your audience just your opinion or both sides of a contentious concept. The widely accepted thought was that attitude change would be more effective if you only offered the opinion and arguments you want your audience to accept. However, Hovland found the opposite is true. Presenting both sides of an issue is actually more effective in persuading the listener to
accept your beliefs. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If you
wish to win a man over to your ideas, first make him your friend.” The advice here may be to be sincere and open with individuals you are attempting to influence. Keeping these theories in mind can
improve your “powers of persuasion.” Another concept we can garner from
Hovland’s work is the need to be aware of the “influence peddlers” in our daily lives and how to consciously accept ideas and “weed out” attempts to negatively influence. If you are on social media, watch
television, or read a newspaper, you are bombarded by an average of more than 400 persuasive appeals every day. Looking at the factors above, you might be likely to buy in when you “like” and trust the veracity of the communicator; the message is meaningful; and you are attentive and ready to listen. Remember the last car you bought?
Was your choice a great example of science in action?
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EarWorksAudiology.com www.pef.org The Communicator September 2014—Page 27
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