Communication Theories Of Persuasion

Werner J. Severin and James W. Tankard are the ones who wrote “Communication Theories Origins, Methods and Uses” in mass media book. Both of them were professors in Journalism school at the university of Texas. “Theories of Persuasion” is this chapter’s title. The main idea of this chapter is the techniques for persuasion and changing attitudes. Also it focuses on the strengthening the attitudes changed and making it unable to change again. This is important for mass communication students as it helps them in their studies and gives them information about how can they change attitudes and this is important for working in media. The author’s purpose for writing this chapter is to inform us with different techniques of changing attitudes and

The effect of the message increases and it becomes more credible when a source is added. This technique is called “Propaganda device of testimonial”. Researchers found out that high credible sources cause attitude change more than low credible sources. But after month, the number of opinion changed for high credible sources is equal to those of low credible sources. When people are addressed to low credible sources, more opinion change occurs after one month than immediately after being addressed and this is called a sleeper effect. This happens because people want to differentiate between the opinion and the source. There are four dimensions of source credibility. First, trustworthiness which means that the source is honest. Second, the professionalism that focuses on presentation skills more than knowledge that the source has. Third, the dynamism that means being active. Fourth, the objectivity that means not telling your opinion and just stick to the facts in addition to not being biased. Moreover, the source loses effectiveness when it is added to a large number of different messages. To make it clear, when celebrities appear in different advertisements, this source does not become trustworthy. Also, high credible sources don’t have the same effect on all

There are four process models of persuasion. First, “ Information processing theory” that tackles the fact that it takes twelve steps for the attitude to change that begins with being introduced to the message then listening then become interested then understanding it then understand how to do it then desiring it then convinced with it then being stored in memory then retrieving the information then taking a decision then a new position is taken then strengthening the desired acts then the behavior takes place. Second, “The Heuristic Systematic Model.” Systematic and heuristic are two kinds of processing messages. Systematic means analyzing the message carefully. Heuristic means using assumptions to judge. Third, “The Elaboration Likelihood Model.” “Central route” and “Peripheral route” are two ways for attitude change. The central route means that the receiver depends on understanding the message and being persuaded by rational appeals and it contains high elaboration. The peripheral route means that the receiver doesn’t depend on cognitive processes but on the credibility of the source and the style of the message and it contains low elaboration.

Finally, this chapter tackles the importance of persuasion in communication and its role in changing attitudes and beliefs. Moreover, there are three techniques for changing attitudes. First, the one sided and two sided messages that depends on the characteristics of