Act of Persuasion

An Act of Persuasion is a social act to achieve a persuasion task.

• Context:
  • It can (often) employ Persuasion Techniques, such as: Reciprocity, Urgency, Authority Figure, Act of Increasing Commitment, Sense of Liking, and Sense of Consensus.
  • It can intend to influence the beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behaviors of others.
  • It can use Persuasion Methods such as: propaganda, coercion, systematic persuasion, heuristic persuasion, and persuasive technology, each offering different tactics to influence outcomes.
  • It can involve ethical considerations, such as: balancing persuasive techniques with genuine intent and respect for the audience's autonomy.
  • It can involve cultural variations in persuasion tactics and effectiveness, emphasizing the need to adapt to different societal norms and values.
  • It can be studied across disciplines such as: rhetoric, psychology, neuroscience, history, and political science.
  • It can be influenced by Psychological Theories, such as: attribution theory, behavior change theories, conditioning theories, and cognitive dissonance theory, to understand how individuals process persuasive messages and alter their behaviors or beliefs.
  • It can involve Communication Skills to effectively conveying persuasive messages and achieving desired outcomes.
  • It can be a part of a Persuasion Campaign.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • As used in Election campaigning to influence voters' attitudes and behaviors.
  • As used in a sales pitch, to convince customers to purchase a product.
  • As used in Trial advocacy, to sway the opinions of judges and jurors.
  • An Ancient Greek Act of Persuasion, that involved ethos, logos, and pathos outlined by philosophers such as Aristotle.
  • Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, within a campaign of persuasion that utilized moral authority, emotional appeal, and logical argumentation to drive the civil rights movement forward. This example demonstrates how sustained rhetorical efforts can mobilize societal change and legislative action.
  • within Persuasion Campaigns, such as:
    • within a Gallic Wars Campaign by Julius Caesar, where strategic communications were used to shape public perception and support for the military actions in Gaul. This campaign showcases the employment of rhetoric and the authority figure tactic in a sustained effort to justify expansion and consolidate power.
    • within a Federalist Papers Campaign, orchestrated by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, aimed at securing ratification of the U.S. Constitution. This persuasive campaign utilized a series of essays to systematically address opposition and foster a consensus on the new governmental framework, illustrating the power of written persuasion and authority in shaping foundational legal and political structures.
    • within a Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March as part of the broader Indian independence movement, a strategic campaign employing non-violent protest and civil disobedience to challenge British authority and inspire collective action towards self-rule. This campaign highlights the effectiveness of consistency, moral leadership, and symbolic acts in persuasive efforts for political and social reform.
    • within a Rosetta Stone Decipherment Campaign, led by Jean-François Champollion, which mobilized academic and public interest to unlock the secrets of Egyptian hieroglyphs. This academic and scholarly campaign demonstrates the role of expertise, systematic analysis, and public engagement in achieving breakthroughs in historical understanding and cultural appreciation.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • A Coercive Act, which involves forcing someone to act in a certain way without their consent.
  • A Non-communicative Act, which does not involve influencing others' beliefs or behaviors.
• See: Social Influence, Communication Skills, Persuasive Techniques, Ethos, Logos, Pathos, Trial Advocacy, Social Influence, Belief, Attitude (Psychology), Intention, Motivation, Sales Pitch, Rhetorical Device.

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References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persuasion Retrieved:2024-3-2.
  • Persuasion or persuasion arts is an umbrella term for influence. Persuasion can influence a person's beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behaviours. Persuasion is studied in many disciplines. Rhetoric studies modes of persuasion in speech and writing and is often taught as a classical subject. Psychology looks at persuasion through the lens of individual behaviour and neuroscience studies the brain activity associated with this behaviour. History and political science are interested in the role of propaganda in shaping historical events. In business, persuasion is aimed at influencing a person's (or group's) attitude or behaviour towards some event, idea, object, or another person (s) by using written, spoken, or visual methods to convey information, feelings, or reasoning, or a combination thereof. Persuasion is also often used to pursue personal gain, such as election campaigning, giving a sales pitch, or in trial advocacy. Persuasion can also be interpreted as using personal or positional resources to change people.
  • NOTES:
    • Persuasion is an umbrella term for influence, encompassing various forms such as propaganda, coercion, systematic persuasion, and heuristic persuasion, each employing different tactics to influence outcomes.
    • Persuasion is studied across disciplines like rhetoric, psychology, neuroscience, history, and political science, reflecting its complexity and multifaceted nature.
    • Persuasion employs diverse methods including the use of force, "weapons of influence" (e.g., reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, likeness, authority, scarcity), and persuasive technology.
    • Persuasion is rooted in ancient Greek studies of rhetoric, where philosophers like Aristotle outlined foundational aspects such as ethos, logos, and pathos for effective persuasion.
    • Persuasion involves ethical considerations, with philosophers and scholars debating its morality, potential for manipulation, and the importance of balancing persuasive techniques with genuine intent and respect for the audience's autonomy.
    • Persuasion is influenced by psychological theories like attribution theory, behavior change theories, conditioning theories, cognitive dissonance theory, and others that explore how individuals process persuasive messages and change their behaviors or beliefs accordingly.
    • Persuasion acknowledges cultural variations in persuasion tactics and effectiveness, indicating the importance of understanding and adapting to different societal norms and values in persuasive efforts.

2024

• (Khan, 2024) ⇒ Coco Khan. (2024). “Start with flattery, maintain eye contact and never lie: how to win people over.” In: The Guardian.
  • QUOTE: "Some people are just charmers... But how exactly do highly persuasive people like him do it? What are their secrets?"
  • NOTES:
    • The article discusses various strategies and philosophies behind persuasion as practiced by individuals across different professions, emphasizing the importance of understanding others, building rapport, being genuine, and adapting communication strategies to the audience.
    • Persuasion relies heavily on the ability to understand and resonate with others' needs and motivations, often employing flattery as a tool to make individuals feel valued and understood.
    • Persuasion necessitates building rapport and trust, with emphasis on genuine interactions and avoiding falsehoods to maintain credibility and reliability.
    • Persuasion champions genuineness and authenticity, arguing against the reliance on canned responses or gestures, and instead advocates for sincere and personalized communication.
    • Persuasion involves strategic communication, where carefully choosing one's words and being thoroughly prepared are crucial to navigating conversations and achieving persuasive outcomes.
    • Persuasion recognizes the importance of compromise and flexibility, viewing persuasion not as a means to dominate but to find mutually beneficial solutions through understanding and empathy.
    • Persuasion highlights the importance of leveling power imbalances by engaging as equals, fostering a collaborative environment that enhances the effectiveness of persuasive efforts.
    • Persuasion leverages storytelling as a powerful tool to simplify complex ideas and emotionally connect with the audience, demonstrating the impact of narratives in persuasive communication.
    • Persuasion acknowledges the need for behavioral tailoring, adapting one's approach based on the audience and context to ensure messages resonate and achieve desired outcomes.

2015

• (Wikipedia, 2015) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persuasion Retrieved:2015-5-17.
  • Persuasion is an umbrella term of influence. Persuasion can attempt to influence a person's beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behaviors. ...

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