CEN 7401 Research Design
Persuasion and its definition
Submit to:
Assistant Professor Dr. Boonchan Thongprayoon
16th November 2014
By
Ingkhasond Vongsasirapirom
ID 5512210086
Page 1 of 4
Study question
What is the key element to render the definition of persuasion? And how broad persuasion can be defined?
Literature Review
Persuasion
The review of these literatures is to have a better understanding of persuasion beyond its lexical meaning originated in late 14th century from Old French “persuasion” and Latin “persuasionem” rested on an action or argument to induce or persuade or convince someone to believe in something (etymonline.com, October 26,
2014). The aforementioned study question is to bring about the understanding aspect of defining persuasion in social science, in particular, revolving around human communication which aims to accomplish in understanding, pleasure, attitude influence, improved relationship and action for the ultimate goal (Tubbs &
Moss,1994, p.21). Many scholars support the idea of necessary in understanding the definition of persuasion, for instance, Herbert W. Simons states “persuaders frequently attempt to persuade us that they are not persuaders.
These facts alone should prompt us to attend carefully to questions of scope and definition” (1986, p.17) ; the attempt that O’Keefe, Simons, and Gass & Seiter seriously study on defining persuasion as a stepping stone to persuasion’s concept and theories.
The well-known in studying persuasion is during World War II by Carl I. Hovland. In his book, Communication and Persuasion (1953), without giving a specific definition of persuasion Hovland engages persuasion to opinion change. Though he agrees that opinion and attitude is pally to implicit response the difference lies between being changed consciously or opinion change and being changed unconsciously or attitude change. Mountain of his research results of the effective communication in regards to opinion change
References: Hovland, C., & Janis, I. (1953). Communication and persuasion; psychological studies of opinion change,. New Haven: Yale University Press. Simons, H. (1986). Chapter 2: What is Persuasion? In Persuasion: Understanding, practice, and analysis (2nd ed., pp Tubbs, S., & Moss, S. (1994). Chapter 1: The process of Human Communication. In Human Communication (pp. O’Keefe, D. (2002). Chapter 1: Persuasion, Attitudes, and Actions. In Persuasion: Theory & research (2nd ed., pp Perloff, R. (2010). Chapter 1: Introduction to Persuasion. In The dynamics of persuasion communication and attitudes in the 21st century (4th ed., pp Gass, R., & Seiter, J. (2007). Chapter 2: What Constitutes Persuasion? In Persuasion, social influence, and compliance gaining (3rd ed., pp