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Persuasion

Definition

Persuasion is a process aimed at changing a person's attitude or behavior toward some event, idea, object, or other person(s), by using written, spoken words or visual tools to convey information, feelings, or reasoning.

Analogy

Persuasion is like a game of chess. It involves strategic moves (arguments and appeals) to influence the opponent's (audience's) decisions and ultimately win the game (change their attitude or behavior).

Related terms

Central Route Persuasion: This involves deeply processing the content of the message in order to be persuaded. For example, reading car reviews before making a purchase.

Peripheral Route Persuasion: This involves being persuaded in a manner that is not based on the arguments or the message content. For instance, buying a product because your favorite celebrity endorsed it.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory: A theory suggesting that we feel discomfort when our beliefs and behaviors are inconsistent with each other, often leading us to change our attitudes to reduce this discomfort.