Influence and Persuasion The Psychology of Social and Individual Behaviour Change

Social Change: Psychology Psychologists focus on changing an individual’s thinking –broad social change can flow out of this 3 methods of social change: –behaviour modification –modelling theory –social persuasion

Behaviour Modification Process by which behaviour is changed due to experiences and changes in one’s environment Ivan Pavlov, Classical conditioning B. F. Skinner, Operant conditioning

Albert Bandura Bandura concluded that learning is largely a modeling experience When humans observe behaviour – either acceptable or unacceptable – they are more likely to practice it Children learn through the experiences of others Question - What does this mean to us?

Conditioning in Advertising Commercials tap into natural emotional responses in the brain –connect product to those reactions Different techniques: –music, jingles –sexual images –heart strings –celebrity

A hamburger advertisement! What factors are being linked or associated? Another example:

Ad campaigns attempt to give the product an “image” or “identity” –animate an inanimate object Promise to match the product’s identity with the purchaser’s.

See all types everyday in society All shape our behaviour, effect broader social change ADVERTISERS!Above and other tactics used especially by ADVERTISERS! Try to shape: –buying patterns –thinking patterns –social trends

Largely based on the social psychology work of Robert Cialdini –Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion –Influence: Science and Practice Cialdini outlines 6 “weapons of influence” used by marketers to elicit automatic responses.

Cialdini argues we use mental shortcuts –automatic responses, assumptions in given situations usually help us; also make us vulnerable A few simple examples: value  more expensive = better quality –e.g. price increase vs. discount contrast  if the 2 nd item in a list is different from the first, see it as more different than it is –e.g. clothing sales

Weapon 1: Reciprocation Rooted in the social belief that we should repay in kind what others do for us e.g. The “kind favour” study –experimenter, subject, confederate –confederate gets subject a Coke –later asks subject to buy raffle tickets  subjects done a favour buy more and spend more

Common uses Come across this in marketing –free sample of products –charities that mail out a “gift” Hard to counter: obligation to the cycle Redefine: concession or “compliance trick”? Also used in negotiations and requests: –e.g. “Happy Days” and TV censors –e.g. counselling juvenile delinquents?

Weapon 2: Commitment and Consistency Created by 2 general characteristics: Inner desire to meet commitments Dislike appearing inconsistent Both drive us to become attached to something once we’ve made a commitment to it –e.g. placing bets –e.g. beach “theft” study –e.g. driver safety sign request Be a safe driver DRIVE CAREFULLY

Salesperson gets customers to commit –E.g. energy sales and “cooling off” periods sales drop as customers change mind have customers fill out own forms Initiation rites –hard to get in = high commitment once in e.g. fraternities and sororities, hazing Common uses

Weapon 3: Liking Basic behavioural characteristics: –more likely to buy from those we like –like those who are similar to us Common uses  company has people sell product to family, friends; sell in homes

Supporting studies  “lost” wallet study Subjects find a lost wallet (planted) –has money, cheque, ID, note Finder is similar to note writer = 70 % return it Finder is dissimilar to note writer = 33 % return it Other Common uses Sales people finding “connections”

Weapon 4: Social Proof Human behaviour: “we view a behaviour as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it” Again, usually a helpful strategy, but makes us vulnerable –e.g. canned laughter effect

Common uses: “salting” tip jars religious events: have ‘plants’ in audience come forward “largest selling!”; “rated #1”; “fastest growing”; “4 out of 5 dentists…” Use of “average people” in ads –relate to them (and product) –effect of similarity

Remember Albert Bandura? Children learn through … uses principle to cure children of dog phobia: –child watches other children playing with dogs –works if watching on TV –works better if more children play with dog social proof effect!

Weapon 5: Authority In general, we obey those in authority. e.g. Stanley Milgram study Also more likely to obey those we trust. Common uses: advertisers portray trustworthy experts (often actors) –e.g. Sanka ad

Need to ask if person is really an authority –e.g. street orders study Advertisers also try to fake “truthfulness” to boost authority, credibility –“Joslin Insurance is the place you’re going to hate … less” –“Avis: we’re number 2, but we try harder” –Buckley’s! “Tastes awful, but it works!”

Weapon 6: Scarcity Human thought: “Opportunities seem more valuable when their availability is limited” e.g. rare coins, sports cards Supporting study  2 year old and toys Common uses: “warnings” in ads –“supply is limited!” –“call in the next 20 minutes!” –“after, November, they’re gone!”

Dade County, Florida phosphate detergent ban, 1971 –public smuggling –changed attitude towards detergent with phosphates “poured better, gentler, better in cold water” Real estate: “goosing them off the fence” –tell customers of another “potential buyer” Used car salesperson –“double-booking” technique

Your (optional) assignment: Find one ad: print, TV, radio, Internet –bring it in if possible Analyze how the ad is working, its techniques –try to incorporate concepts we’ve studied –can include others as well Work on your own or with a partner DUE DATE: