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The Principle of Persuasion Essay

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According to the text , Social Psychology, “social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another”(pg. 4) this is viewed in a variety of social topics incorporating group behaviors, attitudes, conformity, obedience to authority, stereotypes and peer pressure. Outside factors can have a positive or negative affect our view of ourselves and each other. These outside factors are used to persuade and influence group behavior. Persuasion is defined as “the process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors” (Myers, 2010, pg. 230). The principles of this process of persuasion according to researchers, Robert Cialdini and Thomas Davidson, are attractiveness and …show more content…

A perfect example of this social proof phenomenon is the laughing tracks added to sit-coms. Since there is laughter in the background we assume it must be funny so we laugh. Everyone else is laughing so must we. Consistency is defined as the conformity in the application of something which is necessary for the sake of logic, accuracy, or fairness. Accoring to Persuasion is a Science, by Peter Wilby, people that appear to be an expert and trustworthy are more likely to be followed. Cialdini is quoted in this article as saying, “People then listen differently to the next thing you say. They open their ears and minds. So, when recommending someone for a job, mention a weak spot before you rhapsodise about their brilliance” (Wilby, 2007, para. 5). Authority is closely related to credibility. If someone has authority, people tend to be willing to be persuaded by them because they believe in them and they recognize them as an authoritative figure. Doctors are percieved to have authority on medical issues therfore we, as their patients, are inclined to listen (or be persuaded by) their advice as to our health problems. Scarcity is another principle of persuasion. Often times we are pulled into deals in the retail industry because ‘it’s a one time offer’. “The act of limiting access to a message causes individuals to want to receive it more and to become more favorable to it” according to Davidson (para. 42). The biggest

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