Persuasion and how it influences our day-to-day behaviour

Introduction

The process by which a message induces a change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviour is referred to as persuasion. 

Persuasion could be of various forms depending on the type of situation it is applied in. Persuasion could be in the form of public compliance or private acceptance, it could take the form of gradually escalating commitments or sudden interventions. It could also be in the form of education when it is well meant or could be mind control when the ultimate goal of persuasion is manipulation.

Be it campaigning for elections to sell a candidate or to just to persuade a buyer to buy a product, the process and elements for persuasion are always similar irrespective of the form it appears in.


Two Paths of Persuasion (Petty & Cacioppo)

The two paths of persuasion suggested by Petty & Cacioppo are central, which is the direct route, and peripheral, which involves superficial cues.

Central

The central path to persuasion is a direct approach and relies on logical messages and factual information. Although this approach assumes that the target audience is motivated enough to dig through all the facts and information at hand and can critically analyse the same. The reaction of the audience is expected to be based on rational thinking and arguments to arrive at a definite conclusion.

Since the audience is supposed to have their thinking caps on, an example of the central route could be when a person wants to invest in a new product. For instance, a person wants to buy a new smartphone. There is a high probability the buyer would already have a set budget and some features that would fulfil their needs in their mind. The features could include camera quality, battery life, display type and size, processor speed, storage capacity, etc.

Peripheral

The peripheral path to persuasion is often not dictated by true logic. Instead, the approach involves invoking superficial cues and some heuristics as a rule of thumb to make the other person arrive at a conclusion which may seem definitive. The audience may not think carefully, thus leaving them susceptible to this approach. As this approach requires minimum effort from the target audience, they often give the person in front what they want. Here, a rule of thumb heuristics is involved to trigger mindless reactions in the audience.

While campaigning for the United States presidential elections in 2008, the usage of this "HOPE" poster is a prominent example of the peripheral route to persuasion. The target audience,here the citizens of the US, would be looking at this poster mindlessly and seeing a portrait of Barack Obama and the word hope. But what actually happened the word hope actually invoked a sense of inspiration, optimism and desire for change, appealing to the masses. Which they slowly started to associate with the portrait of the person with the word hope, that is, Barack Obama.

The rule of thumb heuristics that the peripheral route relies on are called fixed action patterns.

Triggers and Fixed Action Patterns

The sequences of behaviours that occur in exactly the same fashion and exactly in the same order, whenever elucidated, are called fixed action patterns (FAP). 

The biological buttons that evoke these FAPs are referred to as triggers.

Cialdini draws an exciting analogy between animals and a tape recorder. According to him, just as the prerecorded tape is turned on and always plays to its finish, it is as if the animal were turning on a tape recorder. This obviously, to a great extent, applies to humans as well, but in a slightly different way. The fixed action patterns in humans include many of the tasks that they perform subconsciously without actually thinking about them. This may also be called being on "auto-pilot".

These triggers actually work with peripheral persuasion. Its effectiveness relies on the frequency of relying on these fixed action patterns. These heuristics are usually effective mental shortcuts that enable us to make decisions and solve problems quickly and efficiently.  

The Triad of Trustworthiness


Authority: Status power and expertise

Honesty: Moral aspect of trustworthiness

Likability: Favouring the liked


Manipulating the Perception of Trustworthiness

Testimonials

  • Influences likability
  • Then Authority
  • Lastly Honesty

Presenting Message as Education

  • Manipulates truth (honesty)
  • Which influences authority

Word of Mouth

  • Influences likability
  • Which in turn influences authority and honesty depending on the perception

The Maven

  • The party that would benefit most from a transaction
  • Planting seeds in information hubs (the leaders who may have authority in their field and can influence the people around them)

Theranos Scandal | Elizabeth Holmes

Example of manipulation of trustworthiness

Theranos claimed to have revolutionized the healthcare industry by developing a device that could perform a wide range of laboratory tests using only a few drops of blood. Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO, portrayed herself as a visionary, comparing herself to the tech giants like Apple.

Manipulation:
  
  1. False Scientific Claims: Theranos presented its technology as groundbreaking and backed by extensive scientific research. However, the company was later exposed for misleading investors and the public about the capabilities of its blood-testing technology.

  2. Celebrity Endorsement: Elizabeth Holmes garnered significant attention and trust from influential figures in the business and political world. Her high-profile connections helped create an image of credibility and reliability for Theranos.

  3. Professional Endorsements: The company had a board of directors that included prominent figures such as former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Shultz. These respected individuals lent an air of legitimacy to Theranos, contributing to the manipulation of trust.

  4. Limited Transparency: Theranos was secretive about its technology and processes, claiming to protect trade secrets. This lack of transparency contributed to the manipulation of trust, as investors and the public were unable to verify the accuracy of the company's claims.

Here, we see it was a case of manipulation of trustworthiness through testimonial endorsements.








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