Cognitive Process Of Persuasion Essay

The Cognitive Processes Underlying Persuasion
In order to effectively understand how persuasion works in the social environment it is vital that there is a clear understanding of the cognitive processes underlying persuasion at an individual level. These processes play a huge role in attitude formation and persuasion. They can ultimately create either strong or weak attitudes depending on the different cognitive routes that are used to create attitudes from the exposure of information.
There are two main types of processing. The first type of processing is Systematic Processing. In her research on processing models of persuasion, Wendy Wood describes Systematic Processing stating that, “When people are both motivated and able to process information carefully, then attitudes are based on a more thoughtful, systematic assessment of relevant information”(Wood). Systematic Processing occurs when one really considers and thinks carefully and cautiously about new information that one has been exposed to. When systematic processing occurs, the processing of

information is done through the central route to persuasion, which is an avenue where an attitude is changed after the exposure to the persuasive message is processed carefully and slowly. For example, decisions such as buying a home or a new car are not decisions that are made rashly. Instead, all factors are considered in these types of decisions, and are made wisely and carefully. Decisions such as these are examples of the central route to persuasion and systematic processing.
Unlike systematic processing, heuristic processing occurs very quickly and rashly.

Heuristic processing uses mental shortcuts in order to change or form attitudes that have not yet been formed and to process the newly exposed persuasive information. This mental shortcut route of processing persuasive information is called the peripheral route to persuasion. There are certain cues associated with the peripheral route to persuasion. An example of a cue may be information from an expert, such as medical opinions from a doctor. If the doctor provides a patient with medical news, the individual is not going to spend countless hours working through the medical diagnosis. Instead, the individual is more likely to take the information in as fact immediately. Since the information is coming from an expert it seems very credible, so therefore the information is more likely to be processed quickly with little

consideration.
The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is also important to mention when covering the cognitive processes of persuasion. ELM is a theory of persuasion that suggests that persuasion will occur in one of two ways, either by systematic or heuristic processing, depending on how much cognitive energy is used to process the information along with how long the information is considered. The information must either be processed quickly with little energy, or it will be processed slowly with more extensive cognitive energy and excessive thought.
Social Influence, Persuasion Tactics, and Cialdini’s Techniques of Compliance
In order to answer the research question of which persuasion tactics are effective in politics and retail, it is important to discuss compliance techniques. These techniques cause individuals to comply most often in social settings. Social influence is the changing of one persons attitude by another (Cialdini). The main goal of persuasion is the effective compliance of another.
Robert B. Cialdini, a very successful social psychologist, has studied and discusses these techniques of compliance in detail and holds that there are reasons why one individual will comply while another may not. There are six techniques of compliance that were studied by Cialdini. These principles are reciprocation, social validation, consistency, liking, scarcity, and authority. Reciprocation compliance occurs when an individual feels the need to return a favor after a favor was given to them. It is very much a give and take ideal. The second technique of compliance is social validation, which occurs when an individual wants to commit because others in their in group have also committed. The third technique, consistency, creates compliance because individuals want to follow what the crowd that they associate with is doing. Compliance is a result of the fourth technique, liking, because just as it sounds, individuals are more likely to comply with the wishes of someone that the person likes or consider him or herself to be friends with. The fifth technique, scarcity, occurs when a person complies to buy an object or take an opportunity because they feel that the object at hand is very rare and may not be readily available in the future. Lastly, the sixth technique of compliance is authority. It is found that individuals are more likely to comply if they are being instructed to do so by an individual who is in authority. An example of an authority figure may be a parent or a professor. These six techniques are more likely to ensure compliance, especially when coupled with persuasion and persuasion tactics.
Some Persuasion tactics that are useful in various industries are “foot in the door”, “door in the face”, “low-ball”, “that’s not all”, “fear-then-relief”, “heart head hands”, “hook and sinker”, and “but you are free”. These tactics are chosen because they are highly used in persuasion by politicians and retailers. “Foot in the door” technique occurs when a small offer is made, and then once the audience agrees, an even larger offer is made. This works in the favor of the persuader because a less significant “yes” leads to an agreement that is even more important, or beneficial to the persuader. The “door in the face” technique occurs when a high offer is made that is likely to be refuted by the audience, and when that offer is refuted then a smaller offer is made that seems more appealing when compared to the initial offer. As a result, the audience is more likely to comply with the second offer. The “low-ball” technique occurs when you make a request seem simple and appealing. Once the audience has agreed, the persuader then makes a larger, harder-to-sell offer. If done correctly, the audience will agree. The “that’s not all” persuasion technique occurs when an offer is given in fragments instead of all together. At the end of an offer, the final increment is dealt making the offer seem much more appealing and therefore creating compliance among the audience. The “fear-then-relief” technique occurs when the audience is put in fear for various reasons, and then given a solution through the message and the persuader. As a result of temporary fear, the audience picks an avenue that the persuader wanted them to pick all along. In the “heart head hands” persuasion tactic the persuader first connects with the audience emotionally and then connects with the audience using actions and a set of reasons why compliance is important. The “but you are free” persuasion tactic suggests that when attempting to persuade an audience if the persuader suggests that it is the audience’s choice and completely in their control, then the audience is more likely to increasingly accept the offer at hand. Lastly, “the hook and sinker” persuasion technique occurs when there is an offer by the persuader that is easy to agree with or hard to pass up. Once the audience agrees with the offer, the real message is applied in the second statement by the persuader.