Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The role of persuasion (overtuiging) in effective use of media Hoorcollege - Using Media blok 1 week 1

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Agenda  Learning goals  About these hoorcolleges  A simple model of human cognition (cognitie)  Week 1 t/m 5  Week 6 t/m 8  The course structure  What is persuasion?  The goals of persuasion  A communication model of persuasion  Summary

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Learning goals  By the end of this hoorcollege you should:  Be able to define persuasion  Understand the difference between persuasion, force, manipulation (manipulatie), coercion (dwang) and propaganda  Know some of the ethical issues regarding persuasion  Be aware of the goals of persuasion  Be in a position to use the communications model of persuasion to develop your own persuasive messages

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media About these hoorcolleges

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Aims  These hoorcolleges aim to support you in your use of media by: 1.Allowing you to see the goal of much what you will do when using media 2.Helping you to understand how the human cognitive system works 3.Suggesting how you might use this knowledge to make your use of media more effective

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media A simple model of human cognition The first 5 hoorcolleges will be based on this model

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Week 1 t/m 5 Week 1 Week 3 Gastcollege (tentative) Week 4 Week 5 Week 2

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Week 6 t/m 8  The remainder of the hoorcolleges will be gastcolleges  The aim is to give you some insight into how practicing professionals use media  Please turn up to these!  These are being arranged currently

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The course structure  Be aware that this course was developed before we knew who would be giving the work groups  As a result the structure of the course may be different from the weekly breakdown in the manual  However, the assignments and the goals of the course remain the same  There will be no tentamen!

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media What is persuasion?

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Why do we use media? educate persuade tell the truth question to lie support the status quo change opinions distract change things entertain inform

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media A definition of persuasion “Persuasion is the process of trying to “move” one or more people - by using credible [geloofwaardig] information, evidence [bewijsmateriaal], reasoning [het redeneren] and emotional appeals - to a new or changed belief, attitude, value, or behaviour.” (Rogers, W. (2007), Persuasion: Messages, Receivers and Contexts, Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, p. 5) Persuasion is about trying to change behaviour

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Persuasion and other ways of changing behaviour  Persuasion can be compared to other ways of changing behaviour:  Force  I get you to change your behaviour by holding a gun to your head  Manipulation  I get you to change your behaviour by threatening suicide  Coercion  I get you to change your behaviour through blackmail (chantage)  The key to persuasion is that the receiver(s) feels that they have been treated with respect and have not been deceived  Persuasion uses reasonable arguments that are proportional (evenredig) and considerate of the receiver(s) and other stakeholders’ positions  Persuasion can use emotional appeals, but these should be proportional  Persuasion treats receivers as ends in themselves not as means to an end

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Persuasion and propaganda  Persuasion can also be compared to propaganda  Propaganda is perhaps a form of persuasion, but it does not respect the receiver(s) or other stakeholders  Both may be deceived or treated as a mean to an end  Typical tactics of propaganda include:  Using negative stereotypes  Spreading negative rumours unsupported with evidence  Telling only part of the story  Lying  Spreading fear  Persuasion does not use such tactics

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The ethics of persuasion  German philosopher Immanuel Kant suggested that to act ethically we should only do things that we could will to become a universal law of nature (Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals)  This suggests the English expression ‘do unto others as you would have done to yourself’  A rule of thumb might be then: if you, yourself, would not be happy to be persuaded in the way you are trying to persuade another, then you should not use such tactics  To do so would be to risk using force, manipulation, coercion or propaganda  BTW there are other ways of thinking about this!

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Persuasion and using media  It is my argument that as IAM professionals most of your work when using media will be to persuade your receiver(s)  The ultimate goal of this persuasion will be to get them to change their behaviour in some way  How then does persuasion work?

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The goals of persuasion

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media What does persuasion aim at?  I have suggested that persuasion aims at getting the receiver(s) to change their behaviour (gedrag)  Behaviour is influenced by the combination of three things:  Beliefs (geloven)  Attitudes (houdingen)  Values (waarden)  In order to change behaviour we need to understand these things

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Beliefs, attitudes and values  Beliefs are views we have that certain things are true or that certain things exists  We believe that and we believe in  I believe that water boils at 100 o Celsius at sea-level, but I might believe in God  Attitudes are dispositions (regelingen) we have about things we encounter (they are a sort of vooroordeel)  They are perhaps beliefs that help us act and judge in daily life  I think it is wrong: to steal; okay to lend money to a friend; sad to see someone homeless  Values are our judgements about what is important in life  If you could only carry 3 items from a burning building, the 3 you choose would be the ones you value the most  We have instrumental values that may change in as our life changes and terminal (eind) values that tend to last throughout our lives

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Persuasion, beliefs, attitudes and values  Persuasion aims at changing behaviour: beliefs, attitudes and values shape our behaviour  We need to understand how we can use this to help us achieve our goal  Beliefs are most open to change  Belief that is the easiest to change, through proof, new facts, strong arguments  Although you could not get me to change my belief that the sun rises in the east  Belief in is harder to change, but religious conversion suggests that this is possible  Attitudes are connected to our beliefs and so by changing beliefs we may be able to change attitudes (and perhaps andersom!)  Values are the most resistant to change, but by understanding what a person values we can change behaviour, by connecting the change to their values  If you value money, I might suggest that doing a HBO will allow you to earn more money in the future

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Persuasion and changing behaviour  In order to change behaviour we must understand the receiver’s beliefs, attitudes and values  We use this to make a case that:  Aims to change beliefs through logical arguments that use facts, figures and reason  Changing beliefs might help change attitudes, but we can also use emotional arguments and alternative views to help change them too (interestingly changing attitudes can also help change beliefs)  We can use our understanding of a receiver’s values to connect the changed behaviour with something they value

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Aristotle’s model of persuasion Rational arguments to persuade Facts Figures Logical proof Alternative views Emotional arguments to persuade Aimed at encouraging a favourable attitude in the receiver Proof that the persuader is Credible Honest Acting from good will Competent Enthymeme Leaving come of the message unsaid Allowing the receiver to draw their own conclusions using their values and knowledge of what is good Hinting, but not saying E.g. “Amsterdam: city of gezelligheid”

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media A communication model of persuasion

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media A communication model of persuasion

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Summary  Persuasion is one of the main reasons you will use media in your role as IAM professionals  Persuasion aims at changing behaviour in an ethical way (unlike force, manipulation, coercion and propaganda)  This is achieved through argument that uses an understanding of the beliefs, attitudes and values of the receiver (the target group)  You can use Aristotle’s model of persuasion to help you construct your persuasive arguments  The communications model of persuasion can be used to ensure you understand how the receiver deals with your messages