Persuasive Influence Research Articles

‘Sneaky’ Persuasion in Public Health Risk Communication

ABSTRACTThis paper identifies and critiques a tendency for public health risk communication to be ‘sneakily’ persuasive. First, I describe how trends in the social and health sciences have facilitated an approach to public health risk communication which focuses on achieving behaviour change directly, rather than informing people's decisions about their health behaviour. I then consider existing discussions of the merits of informing versus persuading in public health communication, which largely endorse persuasive approaches. I suggest such accounts are unsatisfying insofar as their definitions of persuasion often fail to recognise its directional nature and the distorting effect this has on the total picture of the evidence. I re‐characterise persuasion as directional influence aimed at achieving a particular outcome in the recipient and acknowledge that persuasive influence may also be manipulative. I then contrast this with (non‐directional) information provision. I suggest that much persuasive public health risk communication is ‘sneaky’: it appears to be informative, but in fact presents a distorted picture of the evidence (in accordance with my characterisation of persuasion). I argue that such sneakily persuasive public health risk communication is unethical on the basis that it fails to adhere to the norms of cooperative communication.

Mitigating product placement effects induced by repeated exposure: Testing the effects of existing textual disclosures in children’s movies on disclosure awareness

Abstract In certain cases, children can react strongly in favor of product placements inserted in movies. Scholars therefore argue that existing disclosures might be one strategy in protecting children from any negative effects. However, disclosure research indicates that viewers should both notice disclosures and, in cases of textual cues, read them. We conducted an experiment with 139 children (Mage = 8.46; SD = 1.12; girls = 53.2 %) and tested the influence of textual disclosure format on disclosure awareness as well as brand-related effects. When comparing with no disclosure, results showed that exposure to an existing textual disclosure positively affects disclosure awareness while exposure to an expanded version of it (i.e., by using more textual elements) did not. Further analyses revealed that prior movie exposure positively affected brand evaluation. However, disclosure awareness reversed this effect. We conclude that children appear to be socialized with the existing textual disclosure and that disclosure awareness might be of importance in shielding children against persuasive influence.

Overview and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis of AI literacy scale

Comprehensive concepts of AI literacy (AIL) and valid measures are essential for research (e.g., intervention studies) and practice (e.g., personnel selection/development) alike. To date, several scales have been published, sharing standard features but differing in some aspects. We first aim to briefly overview instruments identified from unsystematic literature research in February 2023. We identified four scales and one collection of items. We describe the instruments and compare them. We identified common themes and overlaps in the instruments and developmental procedure. We also found differences regarding scale development procedures and latent dimensions. Following this literature research, we came to the conclusion that the literature on AI literacy measurement was fragmented, and little effort was undertaken to integrate different AI literacy conceptualizations. The second focus of this study is to test the factorial structures of existing AIL measurement instruments and identify latent dimensions of AIL across all instruments. We used robust maximum-likelihood confirmatory factor analysis to test factorial structures in a joint survey of all AIL items in an English-speaking online sample (N=219). We found general support for all instruments' factorial structures with minor deviations from the original factorial structures for some of the instruments. In a second analysis step, to address the issue of fragmented research on AI literacy conceptualization and measurement, we used principal axis exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation to identify latent dimensions across all items. We found four correlated latent dimensions of AIL, which were mostly interpretable as the abilities to use and interact with AI, to design/program AI (incl. in-depth technical knowledge), to perform complex cognitive operations regarding AI (e.g., ethical considerations), and a common factor for the abilities to detect AI/differentiate between AI and humans and manage persuasive influences of AI (i.e., persuasion literacy). Our findings sort the multitude of AIL instruments and reveal four latent core dimensions of AIL. Thus, they contribute importantly to the conceptual understanding of AIL that has been fragmented so far.

Persuasi Rute Periferal Exo Sebagai Brand Ambassador Scarlett Whitening Terhadap Impulsive Buying

The popularity of K-Wave amongst Indonesian creates a competition for brands, resulting them competing to use Korean artists as brand ambassadors. This practice is widely adopted in business, particularly in the beauty industry, which is rapidly growing in Indonesia. This research aims to determine the effect of EXO's peripheral route persuasion as the brand ambassador of Scarlett Whitening on impulsive buying behavior. The study uses a quantitative approach to provide detailed statistical analysis on the influence of brand ambassadors on consumer impulsive buying. Data collected through an online questionnaire, distributed to 385 respondents who met the requirements of sample criteria. The results of the study indicate a significant positive influence of peripheral route persuasion on impulsive buying behavior. This means that the presence of EXO as a brand ambassador is effective in delivering marketing messages through the peripheral route, which includes elements such as likability and attractiveness, driving consumers to make impulsive purchases.

Consumers’ online brand-related misinformation engagement: a weapons of influence perspective

ABSTRACT While misinformation has been around for centuries, the effects of online brand-related misinformation on consumers’ engagement remain tenuous. Addressing this gap, we develop the concept of online brand-related misinformation engagement, a consumer’s (e.g. cognitive/emotional) resource investment in their interactions with misinformation about brands. Recognizing the persuasive nature of misinformation, we draw on Cialdini’s Weapons of Persuasive Influence to develop a typology comprising three positively valenced online brand-related misinformation engagement sub-types (i.e. reciprocal, social proof-, and consistency-based misinformation engagement), and three negatively valenced online brand-related misinformation engagement sub-types (i.e. repudiating, thwarting, and oppositional misinformation engagement). We then develop a Weapons of Influence-informed model that outlines the effect of online brand-related misinformation authority and scarcity on consumers’ brand-related misinformation evaluation (liking), and its subsequent effect on their positive or negative online brand-related misinformation engagement, respectively. While consumers’ positive online brand-related misinformation engagement is predicted to yield online misinformation continuation or -intensification, its negative counterpart will generate online misinformation adjustment or -correction.

A Cognitive Toolbox for Persuasion. Perceived Diagnosticity and Persuasibility Bias of Persuasive Features

Persuasive features such as argument quality, source expertise, support, affect, consensus, source likability, and source attractiveness are linked to mental rules that vary in their reliability in supporting the persuasive process. We address these features as cognitive tools available to support judgments, investigating their self-other perceived diagnosticity and persuasibility, and using self-other differences as an index of perceived bias. Results show that participants explicitly consider argument quality, source expertise, and support (number of arguments) as diagnostic of the validity of a claim. Such diagnosticity predicted perceived persuasibility, and self-other differences linked non-diagnostic features to bias. We further discuss the relevance of these findings for a more comprehensive understanding of the cognitive toolbox that supports persuasive influences.

The Technological Nature of “New Sincerity”

Changes in modern communication have led to the transformation of the category of sincerity into a technology (or strategy) of persuasive influence. Increased sensitivity and the illusion of displaying genuine emotions are used not for frank self-expression, but for achieving commercial, ideological, and other goals. In the article, “new sincerity” is examined from the perspective of communication theory and the understanding of effective strategies by communication participants. It is argued that “new sincerity” has several variations with different sets of substantive components. Four models of new sincerity are characterized, each structured according to the significant components identified during the analysis: the scope of the concept of sincerity, the subject of sincerity, the object of influence, the instrument of influence, the conceptual core (integral component), qualifiers of the concept, type of activity; means of carrying out the activity; expected result of the activity. The assumption is made that variations in understanding the linguistic unit new sincerity have emerged as a result of the universality of its structural-and-semantic contour. It is suggested that the word sincerity originally had potential for future transformations due to the practical properties of the reality it denotes. It is shown that the awareness of the unique properties of sincerity has led to its transformation into insincere sincerity as a technology for attracting audiences of different types with different goals.

Higher Numbers = More Important? Social Media Metrics and Their Agenda-Cueing Effects in Anti-Secondhand Smoke Persuasion

ABSTRACT Social media metrics can exert persuasive influences. Integrating the agenda-cueing effect into the influence of presumed influence framework, the study explores how social media metrics influence individuals’ perceptions of others’ agendas, which further contribute to individuals’ engagement outcomes in the context of anti-secondhand smoke (SHS) health persuasion campaigns. A between-subject online experiment investigating three types of social media metrics (i.e., “views,” “likes,” and “shares and comments”) was conducted in China (N = 415). Results showed that higher “views” significantly increased perceived issue importance to important others, which consistently correlated with social media engagement but significantly correlated with anti-SHS policy support only among participants who ever smoked. “Likes” and “shares and comments” primarily impacted perceived issue importance to social media users, which was positively associated with anti-SHS policy support. Theoretically, this study unravels the nuances of social media metrics as agenda cues and differentiates perceived issue importance to two referent units. Practically, the findings suggest the utility of fostering sharing and commenting behavior in social media health campaigns and highlighting certain normative information during anti-SHS message tailoring.

The social neuroscience of persuasion approach to the religious intercultural communication: A conceptual evidence from Sidhwa’s novel ‘An American Brat’

The study aims to understand the influence of religio-cultural right-wing persuasion in intercultural communication, as exhibited in a novel representing Pakistani national culture and Parsee minority culture. The methodology involves directed qualitative content analysis of Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel “An American Brat,” using a conceptual model/framework adapting/extracting coding protocol from Morin and Renvoisé’s model to analyze communication within a social neuroscience context. The research delves into the curated message of cultural diversity. Furthermore, it explains the insight of the situation into cultural and religio-cultural persuasion by the writer, which she represented in the context of three cultures, American, Pakistani, and Parsee. The characters’ communication seemed dominant, reflecting the communication regarding Pakistani Islamic cultural values due to its impact and dominance, specifically on personal and contrastive stimuli of the characters’ intuitive knowledge. Likewise, the other persuasive elements from the conceptual model/framework of Morin and Renvoisé are also reflected in the characters’ communication, which interprets any communication in a social neuroscience context. The innovative understudy of intercultural communication shows how social neuro-persuasion succeeds in reconnecting characters to their subconscious fundamental brain-rooted cognitive, cultural, and social identity. Hence, cognitive changes in stimuli often would not change or get easily influenced at teenage on conceptual, theoretical, or biological levels. According to the researchers’ conceptual arguments, future studies may utilize the present model within the textual quotations from the novel’s original text, as the present research was only delimited to qualitative content analysis. However, the theoretical/conceptual framework of the neuroscience of persuasion needs to be verified.

Evaluating the persuasive influence of political microtargeting with large language models

Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) have raised the prospect of scalable, automated, and fine-grained political microtargeting on a scale previously unseen; however, the persuasive influence of microtargeting with LLMs remains unclear. Here, we build a custom web application capable of integrating self-reported demographic and political data into GPT-4 prompts in real-time, facilitating the live creation of unique messages tailored to persuade individual users on four political issues. We then deploy this application in a preregistered randomized control experiment (n = 8,587) to investigate the extent to which access to individual-level data increases the persuasive influence of GPT-4. Our approach yields two key findings. First, messages generated by GPT-4 were broadly persuasive, in some cases increasing support for an issue stance by up to 12 percentage points. Second, in aggregate, the persuasive impact of microtargeted messages was not statistically different from that of non-microtargeted messages (4.83 vs. 6.20 percentage points, respectively, P = 0.226). These trends hold even when manipulating the type and number of attributes used to tailor the message. These findings suggest-contrary to widespread speculation-that the influence of current LLMs may reside not in their ability to tailor messages to individuals but rather in the persuasiveness of their generic, nontargeted messages. We release our experimental dataset, GPTarget2024, as an empirical baseline for future research.

Whose Expertise and Whose Knowledge Matter? Influencing Wind Power Decisions in Norway

ABSTRACT Norway is committed to promoting energy from renewable sources, but wind power installations are often sited in areas where the environment remains relatively untouched. This has generated a debate about the acceptability of such installations in the country. Host municipalities in Norway hold an unofficial veto power over the outcomes of proposals for wind power developments, so the ways that local attitudes and beliefs are influenced could be crucial to the outcome of licensing decisions. This research explores how elected officials come to hear about proposed wind farm developments, whose knowledge and expertise they trust on the issue – as well as whose is discounted – and how this impacts the eventual perceptions that they adopt. We investigate the persuasive influence of narrative messaging on both supportive and oppositional stakeholders in a land-based wind power licensing process in Norway.

Enhancing Tax Compliance Intentions: Analyzing the Influence of Awareness, Attention, and Persuasion Among Future Taxpayers

This study explores the factors influencing tax compliance intentions among future taxpayers, specifically examining the roles of taxpayer awareness, attention, and persuasion. Employing a quantitative research approach with a cross-sectional design, the study analyzed data from a sample of 278 individuals using the PLS-SEM model, evaluating both measurement and structural models. The results demonstrate that taxpayer persuasion has a significant direct impact on tax compliance, indicating that persuasive communication strategies are highly effective. Additionally, taxpayer awareness directly influences tax compliance and mediates the effects of other variables, highlighting the importance of knowledge and awareness in fostering a compliance mindset. Taxpayer intention serves as a crucial intermediary, translating awareness into compliance behavior. The findings suggest that a multifaceted approach combining awareness campaigns, targeted educational programs, and persuasive communication can significantly enhance compliance rates. These insights are essential for developing effective tax education and communication strategies, ultimately contributing to a more robust and compliant tax system. Future research should further investigate these relationships across diverse demographics to bolster tax compliance efforts comprehensively.

What is beautiful is good: attractive avatars for healthier dining and satisfaction

PurposeAs technology increasingly integrates into the restaurant industry, avatar servers present a promising avenue for promoting healthier dining habits. Grounded in the halo effect theory and social comparison theory, this study aims to delve into the influence of avatars' appearance, humor and persuasion on healthier choices and customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThis paper comprises three experimental studies. Study 1 manipulates avatar appearance (supermodel-looking vs normal-looking) to examine its effects on perceived attractiveness, warmth and relatability. These factors influence customer satisfaction and healthy food choices through the psychological mechanisms of social comparison and aspirational appeal. Studies 2 and 3 further refine this theoretical model by assessing the interplay of appearance with humor (presence vs absence) and persuasion (health-oriented vs beauty-oriented), respectively.FindingsResults suggest that avatars resembling supermodels evoke stronger aspirational appeal and positive social comparison due to their attractiveness, thus bolstering healthier choices and customer satisfaction. Moreover, humor moderates the relationship between appearance and attractiveness, while persuasion moderates the effects of appearance on social comparison and aspirational appeal.Research limitations/implicationsThis research bridges the halo effect theory and social comparison theory, offering insights enriching the academic discourse on technology’s role in hospitality.Practical implicationsThe findings provide actionable insights for managers, tech developers and health advocates.Originality/valueDespite its significance, avatar design research in the hospitality sector has been overlooked. This study addresses this gap, offering a guideline for crafting attractive and persuasive avatars.

Impact of Influencer Marketing on Consumer Purchasing Behavior

The digital age has witnessed a monumental shift in marketing strategies, with influencer marketing emerging as a dominant force in shaping consumer purchasing behavior. This article meticulously dissects the intricate web of factors that empower social media personalities to exert such a persuasive influence over consumer choices. Through a comprehensive analysis of current trends and research findings, the article sheds light on the psychological underpinnings that drive consumer trust in influencer recommendations. Two key concepts emerge: social proof and trust. Consumers exhibit a heightened inclination towards products endorsed by individuals they perceive as relatable and credible. Influencers who cultivate genuine connections with their audience foster a sense of social validation. This leads followers to believe that using the promoted product grants them access to a coveted lifestyle or social circle, mirroring the choices of the influencer they admire. Furthermore, the article explores the concept of perceived expertise. Extensive research suggests that consumers often view influencers as possessing a wealth of knowledge about the products they advocate for, attributing a significant degree of credibility to their endorsements. This perception is particularly strong in niche communities where influencers have meticulously built their image as thought leaders within a specific domain. The article acknowledges the inherent limitations and ethical considerations that cloud the realm of influencer marketing. Lack of transparency and the potential for inauthenticity pose significant challenges.

Employment of Friday preachers for persuasive influence methods A survey of the Friday sermon

The study aimed to know the Jordanian Friday preachers’ employment of persuasive influence methods in the Friday sermon, and the researcher used the descriptive survey method on a study population represented by the Jordanian mosque preachers affiliated with the Ministry of Endowments, Affairs and Islamic Sanctuaries, who numbered (2035) orators from the official imams of mosques at the time of the study, with a regular random sample. Its amount is (824) orator. The study concluded that the Jordanian Friday preachers use persuasive influence methods in a balanced manner while delivering the sermon, and that they use persuasive influence methods because they enable them to influence the recipient’s demand for obedience in a balanced and reassuring manner, and that the most prominent method preferred by Friday preachers is the method of carrot, and that the method of assigning information to sources Trusted by the public is one of the most important motives for using persuasive influence methods. It has been proven that there are statistically significant differences in the degree to which persuasive influence methods were used during Friday sermon, according to different years of experience, in favor of from 5 years to less than 10 years. Keywords: Friday sermons, methods of influence, encouragement, balance, rhetoric.

A behavioral perspective on circular economy awareness: The moderating role of social influence and psychological barriers

While prior research has primarily focused on corporate and governmental aspects of Circular Economy (CE) adoption, this study examines a less-explored area: people’s awareness of CE principles. We employ the theory of behavioral choice (TBC) as a theoretical framework, shedding light on the psychological causes of inaction that hinder CE awareness. Our survey gathered responses from 2070 participants using non-probability sampling and applied composite-based structural equation modeling (CSEM) to analyse the data collected. Our findings reveal that these psychological barriers, such as the perception of sunk costs and limited cognition, impede individuals from embracing CE principles. However, social influence, encompassing the persuasive influence of peers, family, and celebrities, emerges as a promising factor in overcoming these barriers and boosting CE awareness. This study breaks new ground by examining the connection between psychological barriers and CE awareness across five distinct CE strategies, offering fresh insights into how CE awareness influences decision-making for a more regenerative economy. The practical implications of our research underscore the importance of fostering societal engagement in CE and promoting strategies to mitigate psychological barriers through education, incentives, and communication programs.

Anteseden Yang Mempengaruhi Niat Pembelian Pada Jasa Pengiriman Makanan Online (Integrasi TBP, TPR, DAN ELM)

The Covid-19 pandemic has driven the expansion of Indonesia's digital economy. One of the emerging sectors is the hospitality industry and the online food delivery services included in it have been rapidly growing across Indonesia. Therefore, the elements that influence customer perception and purchase intention regarding OFDS must be better understood. Therefore, this study was created to examine perceived benefits (convenience, trust, order accuracy, and variety of choices), perceived risks (financial risks, product risks, security risks, time risks, social risks, and psychological risks), and online persuasion through central routes (argument quality) and peripheral routes (image appeal, navigation design, social presence, and connectedness) on consumer attitudes and purchase intention by integrating the theory of planned behavior, theory of perceived risks, and the elaboration likelihood model. Based on an online survey of 1002 participants living in Indonesia, it was found that perceived benefits, perceived risks, and online persuasion influence consumer attitudes and purchase intention. The paper also discusses areas of future research and theoretical and practical consequences. Keywords: Elaboration Likelihood Model; Online Food Delivery Services; Theory of Planned Behavior; Theory of Perceived Risks; Purchase Intention

Misery loves company: evaluation of negative e-WOM effects at the post-service recovery stage

PurposeThe authors' research examines how negative electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) alters focal customers' post-recovery justice perceptions and attitudes to determine their future behavior with the service provider. Specifically, this paper develops and tests a conceptual model to investigate how negative e-WOM alters focal customers' perceptual and attitudinal outcomes after the service recovery experience. It also examines the post-recovery effect of negative e-WOM on focal customers’ willingness to patronize the service after their recovery experience.Design/methodology/approachTo test the hypotheses, two pretests and two experimental studies with created scenarios in the retail context were conducted.FindingsThe authors' findings reveal that services are judged during and well beyond failure and recovery occurrences. To maintain a loyal customer base, service managers should develop processes that address service complaints both within and beyond the service consumption stage. The authors also find that despite a favorable recovery, focal customers gravitate toward the failure experience and develop unfavorable attitudes toward the service provider, leading to likely defections.Originality/valueThe authors' research demonstrates the persuasive power of negative e-WOM at the post-service recovery stage, making a unique contribution to the service recovery literature. This research also contributes to the persuasive effect of negative e-WOM, demonstrating message context as a boundary condition of negative e-WOM effects. In general, the authors' work highlights the importance of understanding the psychological processes involved in eliciting the persuasive influence of negative e-WOM in the post-service recovery stage that may lead to the defection of “so-called” successfully recovered customers.

A Study on the Refusal Behavior of Defending Rights in High School Students' Daily Social Activities and Its Impact

At the senior secondary school level, young people's growing maturity should also lead to an increased awareness of their own rights and interests. However, in reality, many high school students exhibit an inadequate understanding of their rights and are slow to assert themselves when their interests are violated. To thoroughly investigate this phenomenon, this study distributed paper questionnaires among randomly selected participants and conducted a detailed data analysis. After reviewing relevant literature and analysing questionnaire data, the authors concluded that high school students are not accustomed to asserting their rights through refusal. The lack of awareness is attributed to two primary factors: firstly, the impact of students' family education on their willingness to exercise refusal rights, and secondly, the challenge posed by the influence of social circles and moral persuasion. Furthermore, the majority of high school pupils voiced apprehension regarding the possible aftermaths of declining. The data collected by the authors showed that 80% of the students who engaged in refusal behaviours used mild or indirect strategies.

Exploring the Persuasive Influence of Physical Attractiveness Premium in the Recruiting Process: A Study Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model

Exploring the Persuasive Influence of Physical Attractiveness Premium in the Recruiting Process: A Study Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model