The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and Attitudes in the 21st Century

The Dynamics of Persuasion provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to persuasive communication and attitude change. Offering a thorough discussion of classic and contemporary theories of persuasion, this text explores the structure and functions of attitudes, consistency between attitude and behavior, and issues in attitude measurement.
Examining persuasion through media, interpersonal, and psychological lenses, author Richard M. Perloff systematically investigates the impact of persuasive communication on attitudes toward a variety of topics, including health, politics, and racial prejudice. In addition to presenting persuasion theory and research, he provides numerous examples of persuasion in action, demonstrating the role of persuasion research in everyday life. Written in a highly accessible and clear style, The Dynamics of Persuasion serves to:


introduce the social science perspective on persuasion


enhance understanding of persuasion theories and research


highlight the major issues discussed in the field of persuasion research


explore the complexities and subtleties in the dynamics of everyday persuasion


raise awareness about the ethics of contemporary persuasion.

New to this edition are:


2008 election examples interspersed througout the text


focused discussions on compliance-gaining and negative advertising


examples of strong attitude, such as the pros and cons of using animals in research.

Complimented by a Companion Website (www.routledge.com/textbooks/dynamicsofpersuasion4e) with resources for students and instructors, The Dynamics of Persuasion is an engaging text appropriate for advanced courses on persuasion in communication, psychology, marketing, and sociology. In its exploration of the dynamics of persuasive communication, it illuminates the powerful effects persuasion has in contemporary society and enhances understanding of this ubiquitous communicative strategy.

Richard M. Perloff is Professor and Director of the School of Communication at Cleveland State University. He has taught at Cleveland State University for 30 years. Prior to that, he received his Ph.D. in mass communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in social psychology and communication at Ohio State University. Dr. Perloff has written books on persuasion, political communication, and applications of social science to the AIDS crisis. A Fellow of the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research, he is nationally known for scholarship on perceptions of media effects.

Part 1 Foundations
1 Introduction to Persuasion

Persuasion: Constancies and Changes
Foundations of Persuasion
Defining Persuasion
Persuasion Versus Coercion
The Bad Boys of Persuasion
Understanding Persuasive Communication Effects
Historical Review of Persuasion Scholarship
The Contemporary Study of Persuasion
Seeing the Big Picture
Persuasion and Ethics
The Present Approach
Conclusions
2 Attitudes: Definition and Structure

The Concept of Attitude
Characteristics of Attitudes
Values and Beliefs
Structure of Attitudes
Attitude Structure and Persuasion
Are Attitudes Internally Consistent?
The Psychology of Strong Attitudes
Attitudes and Information Processing
Implicit Attitudes
Conclusions
3 Attitudes: Functions and Consequences

Functions and Attitudes
Attitudes and Persuasion
Attitudes and Behavior
Models of Attitude-Behavior Relations
Implications for Persuasion
Judging Consistency
Conclusions
4 Attitude Measurement

Overview
Questionnaire Measures of Attitude
Pitfalls in Attitude Measurement
Policy Implications
Asking Good Questions
Indirect Methods to Measure Attitudes
Conclusions
Part 2 Changing Attitudes and Behavior
5 Processing Persuasive Communications

Historical Foundations
Elaboration Likelihood Model
Peripheral Processing In Real Life
Central Processing
Complications and Criticisms
Criticisms and Reconciliations
Conclusions
6 "Who Says It": Source Factors in Persuasion

Understanding the Communicator
Conclusions
7 Message Factors

Understanding the Message
Message Structure
Evidence
Fear Appeals
Guilt Appeals
Language
Conclusions
8 Personality and Persuasion

The Myth of the Vulnerable Other
Need for Cognition
Self-Monitoring
Dogmatism
Additional Issues
Other Personality Factors
Conclusions
9 Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Foundations
Dissonance and Decision Making
Dissonance and Expenditure of Effort
Induced Compliance
Explanations and Controversies
The Dissonance Debate: Intellectual Issues
Summary
Conclusions
10 Interpersonal Persuasion

Foot-in-the-Door
Door-in-the-Face
Applications
Other Compliance Techniques
Compliance-Gaining
Ethical Issues
Conclusions
Part 3 Persuasion in American Society
11 Advertising

The Subliminal Myth
The Psychology of Low Involvement
High Involvement
The Role of Personality
Advertising Ethics
Conclusions
12 Communication Campaigns

Thinking About Campaigns
Theoretical Perspectives
Campaign Effects
The McGruff Crime Prevention Project
Antismoking and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Campaigns
Antidrinking Campaigns
Drug Prevention Campaigns
Interventions to Reduce Health Care Disparities
Complicating Factors
Values and Ethics
Conclusions