Act of Persuasion

An Act of Persuasion is a social act that achieves a persuasion task (through systematic influence and strategic communication).

• AKA: Persuasive Action, Influence Attempt.
• Context:
  • Core Techniques:
  • It can (typically) employ Persuasion Techniques, such as: Reciprocity, Urgency, Authority Figure, Act of Increasing Commitment, Sense of Liking, and Sense of Consensus.
  • It can (typically) utilize Communication Skills for message delivery.
  • It can (typically) apply Psychological Theories for behavioral change.
  • ...
  • Influence Dimensions:
  • It can intend to influence beliefs through cognitive persuasion.
  • It can intend to influence attitudes through emotional appeal.
  • It can intend to influence intentions through motivational alignment.
  • It can intend to influence behaviors through action inducement.
  • ...
  • Method Categories:
  • It can use Propaganda for mass influence.
  • It can use Systematic Persuasion for structured approaches.
  • It can use Heuristic Persuasion for mental shortcuts.
  • It can use Persuasive Technology for digital influence.
  • ...
  • Range Variations:
  • It can range from being a Simple Persuasion to being a Complex Persuasion, depending on its task complexity.
  • It can range from being a Direct Persuasion to being an Indirect Persuasion, depending on its approach style.
  • It can range from being a Short-Term Persuasion to being a Long-Term Persuasion, depending on its time frame.
  • ...
  • Theoretical Foundation:
  • It can involve Attribution Theory for causal understanding.
  • It can involve Behavior Change Theory for modification strategy.
  • It can involve Conditioning Theory for response patterns.
  • It can involve Cognitive Dissonance Theory for belief adjustment.
  • ...
  • Implementation Elements:
  • It can require Authenticity for trust building.
  • It can employ Storytelling for emotional connection.
  • It can maintain Eye Contact for engagement creation.
  • It can utilize Flattery for rapport building.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Historical Persuasions, such as:
    • An Ancient Greek Act of Persuasion, that involved ethos, logos, and pathos.
    • Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech for social change.
    • ...
  • Persuasion Campaigns, such as:
    • within a Gallic Wars Campaign by Julius Caesar for public support.
    • within a Federalist Papers Campaign for constitutional ratification.
    • within a Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March for independence movement.
    • within a Rosetta Stone Decipherment Campaign for academic breakthrough.
    • ...
  • Contemporary Applications, such as:
    • Election Campaigning for voter influence.
    • Sales Pitch for customer conversion.
    • Trial Advocacy for legal persuasion.
    • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Coercive Act, which involves forced action without voluntary choice.
  • Non-communicative Act, which lacks influence intent.
  • Random Communication, which lacks strategic purpose.
  • Pure Information, which avoids persuasive elements.
• 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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