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The Spanish Journal of Psychology Apr 2023Attitude strength (what makes attitudes durable and impactful) has become an important topic in the domain of social influence. We review three areas in which the... (Review)
Review
Attitude strength (what makes attitudes durable and impactful) has become an important topic in the domain of social influence. We review three areas in which the traditional view of attitude strength has been modified or updated since the publication of Petty and Krosnick's 1995 edited book on the topic. First, although it was widely assumed that there were different categories of strength variables (i.e., operative versus meta-cognitive), it may now be better to recognize that each strength property can be measured both structurally and subjectively and that each measure is useful. Second, although scholars assumed that virtually all persuasion techniques would work better on weaker than stronger attitudes, recent research suggests that some techniques might actually work better on stronger than weaker attitudes. Third, although stronger attitudes often guide behavior better than weaker ones, when strength is challenged or weak attitudes are threatening, people can be motivated to act to demonstrate or restore certainty. This can result in weaker attitudes leading to more extreme behavior.
Topics: Humans; Attitude; Metacognition; Persuasive Communication
PubMed: 37066869
DOI: 10.1017/SJP.2023.7 -
Annual Review of Psychology Jan 2018Opportunities to persuade and be persuaded are ubiquitous. What determines whether influence spreads and takes hold? This review provides an overview of evidence for the... (Review)
Review
Opportunities to persuade and be persuaded are ubiquitous. What determines whether influence spreads and takes hold? This review provides an overview of evidence for the central role of subjective valuation in persuasion and social influence for both propagators and receivers of influence. We first review evidence that decisions to communicate information are determined by the subjective value a communicator expects to gain from sharing. We next review evidence that the effects of social influence and persuasion on receivers, in turn, arise from changes in the receiver's subjective valuation of objects, ideas, and behaviors. We then review evidence that self-related and social considerations are two key inputs to the value calculation in both communicators and receivers. Finally, we highlight biological coupling between communicators and receivers as a mechanism through which perceptions of value can be transmitted.
Topics: Communication; Humans; Persuasive Communication; Social Behavior; Social Values
PubMed: 28961060
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-122216-011821 -
ELife May 2023Authors rely on a range of devices and techniques to attract and maintain the interest of readers, and to convince them of the merits of the author's point of view....
Authors rely on a range of devices and techniques to attract and maintain the interest of readers, and to convince them of the merits of the author's point of view. However, when writing a scientific article, authors must use these 'persuasive communication devices' carefully. In particular, they must be explicit about the limitations of their work, avoid obfuscation, and resist the temptation to oversell their results. Here we discuss a list of persuasive communication devices and we encourage authors, as well as reviewers and editors, to think carefully about their use.
Topics: Publishing; Persuasive Communication; Reading; Writing
PubMed: 37227768
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.88654 -
Journal of Personality and Social... Apr 2020Research has examined persuasive language, but relatively little is known about how persuasive people are when they attempt to persuade through language, or acoustic...
Research has examined persuasive language, but relatively little is known about how persuasive people are when they attempt to persuade through language, or acoustic properties of speech (e.g., pitch and volume). People often detect and react against communicators say, but might they be persuaded by speakers' attempts to modulate they say it? Four experiments support this possibility, demonstrating that communicators engaging in paralinguistic persuasion attempts (i.e., modulating their voice to persuade) naturally use paralinguistic cues that influence perceivers' attitudes and choice. Rather than being effective because they go undetected, however, the results suggest a subtler possibility. Even when they are detected, paralinguistic attempts succeed because they make communicators seem more confident without undermining their perceived sincerity. Consequently, speakers' confident vocal demeanor persuades others by serving as a signal that they more strongly endorse the stance they take in their message. Further, we find that paralinguistic approaches to persuasion can be uniquely effective even when linguistic ones are not. A cross-study exploratory analysis and replication experiment reveal that communicators tend to speak louder and vary their volume during paralinguistic persuasion attempts, both of which signal confidence and, in turn, facilitate persuasion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Persuasive Communication; Social Behavior; Social Perception; Speech; Speech Perception; Voice; Young Adult
PubMed: 31192632
DOI: 10.1037/pspi0000193 -
Schizophrenia Bulletin Jun 2019
Topics: Adult; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Persuasive Communication; Psychotic Disorders; Social Perception
PubMed: 31211844
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbx027 -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Feb 2016
Topics: Humans; Narration; Persuasive Communication; Science
PubMed: 26905835
DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.16.0151 -
Current Opinion in Psychology Feb 2020Psychological targeting describes the practice of extracting people's psychological profiles from their digital footprints (e.g. their Facebook Likes, Tweets or credit... (Review)
Review
Psychological targeting describes the practice of extracting people's psychological profiles from their digital footprints (e.g. their Facebook Likes, Tweets or credit card records) in order to influence their attitudes, emotions or behaviors through psychologically informed interventions at scale. We discuss how the increasingly blurred lines between public and private information, and the continuation of the outdated practices of notice and consent, challenge traditional conceptualizations of privacy in the context of psychological targeting. Drawing on the theory of contextual integrity, we argue that it is time to rethink privacy and move beyond the questions of who collects what data to how the data are being used. Finally, we suggest that regulations of psychological targeting should be accompanied by a mindset that fosters (1) privacy by design to make it easy for individuals to act in line with their privacy goals, as well as (2) disclosure by choice, to allow individuals to freely decide whether and when they might be willing to forsake their privacy for better service.
Topics: Humans; Marketing; Persuasive Communication; Privacy; Social Media
PubMed: 31563799
DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.08.010 -
Journal of Biomedical Informatics Sep 2018
Topics: Behavior Control; Computational Biology; Health Promotion; Healthy Lifestyle; Humans; Information Technology; Medical Informatics; Persuasive Communication
PubMed: 30071315
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2018.07.020 -
International Review of Neurobiology 2018Placebo effects, or positive outcomes resulting from expectations about a treatment, are powerful components of modern medical care. In this chapter, we suggest that our... (Review)
Review
Placebo effects, or positive outcomes resulting from expectations about a treatment, are powerful components of modern medical care. In this chapter, we suggest that our understanding of placebo effects may benefit from more explicitly connecting this phenomenon to the existing empirical psychological literature on persuasion. Persuasion typically involves an attempt to bring about a change in beliefs or attitudes as a result of providing information on a topic. We begin by providing a brief overview of the psychological literature on placebo effects. We then point to connections between this literature and research on persuasive communication. Although some links have been made, these initial connections have predominantly relied on classic theories of persuasion rather than on more contemporary and comprehensive models. Next, we describe a modern theory of persuasion that may facilitate the study of placebo effects and analyze two issues pertinent to the literature on placebo effects from the lens of this model. Specifically, we consider how and when characteristics of a practitioner (e.g., variables such as perceptions of a practitioner's confidence or competence) can influence the magnitude of placebo effects, and how modern persuasion theory can help in understanding the durability of placebo effects over time. We conclude that examining placebo effects as an outcome of persuasive communication would be a fruitful line of future research.
Topics: Humans; Models, Psychological; Persuasive Communication; Placebo Effect; Professional-Patient Relations; Psychological Theory
PubMed: 29681321
DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2018.01.004 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Oct 2023The ubiquity of short videos has demonstrated vast potential for health communication. An expansion of research has examined the persuasive effect of health... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The ubiquity of short videos has demonstrated vast potential for health communication. An expansion of research has examined the persuasive effect of health communication in short videos, yet a synthesis of the research is lacking.
OBJECTIVE
This paper aims to provide an overview of the literature by examining the persuasive effect of health communication in short videos, offering guidance for researchers and practitioners. In particular, it seeks to address 4 key research questions: What are the characteristics of short videos, samples, and research designs in short video-based health communication literature? What theories underpin the short video-based health communication literature? What are the persuasive effects of health communication in short videos? and What directions should future research in this area take?
METHODS
Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, an electronic search of 10 databases up to March 10, 2023, generated 4118 results. After the full-text screening, 18 articles met the eligibility criteria.
RESULTS
The current research lacks a uniform definition of short videos, demonstrates sample biases in location and education, and adopts limited methodologies. Most studies in this synthesis are theoretically grounded or use theoretical concepts, which are predominantly well examined in persuasion research. Moreover, relevant topics and suitable themes are effective in persuasive health communication outcomes, whereas the impact of diverse narrative techniques remains ambiguous.
CONCLUSIONS
We recommend that future research extends the definition of short videos beyond time constraints and explores non-Western and less-educated populations. In addition, researchers should consider diverse methods to provide a more comprehensive examination and investigate the impact of audience targeting and narrative techniques in short video health communication. Finally, investigating how the unique aspects of short videos interact with or challenge traditional persuasion theories is essential.
Topics: Humans; Persuasive Communication; Health Communication; Narration; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 37831488
DOI: 10.2196/48508