Seminar Psychology of Communication
Dr. Josef Sawetz
josef.sawetz@univie.ac.at
+ 43 699 1 006 5056
Seminar Overview
- From persuasion theories to professional persuasive strategies in three days.
- Overview of basic theories and models in persuasion research.
- Utilization of theoretical models as tools and methods for managing persuasive communication in professional practice.
Seminar Goals
The seminar covers a broad range of theories, frameworks, concepts, and tools to reach higher levels of persuasive effectiveness for successful communication strategies and campaigns. The goals of the seminar are:
- To gain an insight into the connecting structure behind the theoretical models to reveal the core principles as guidelines for decisions in professional life of a persuader.
- To provide a fundamental, interdisciplinary and integrated view into persuasive dynamics: the brain, society, emotions, cognitions, motives, automaticity and areas of deliberation.
- To develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills to create, analyse and optimize persuasive communication campaigns and strategies.
Teaching Methods
- An exploration of the theoretical framework to uncover the interconnected core principles of successful persuasive communication.
- A combination of psychological, neuroscientific and evolutionary perspectives to convey a clear picture and deeper understanding of the reasons why and the way how persuasive techniques work.
- Best practice & current examples of the application of theory including:
- Analysis of award winning international advertising campaigns
- State-of-the-art persuasion techniques in marketing: native advertising, content marketing, thought leadership, etc.
- Checklists: “Adaptive Mental System Toolbox” for persuasive communication
Seminar Readings
Briñol, P., & Petty, R. E. (2012). A history of attitudes and persuasion research. In A. Kruglanski & W. Stroebe (Eds.), Handbook of the history of social psychology (pp. 285-320). New York: Psychology Press.
Preliminary Seminar Schedule of Topics
Day 1:
Basics of social psychology and persuasion research: from historical origins to latest findings of (Social, Cognitive, Affective, Decision, etc.) Neuroscience
- Yale Communication Research Program
- Social Judgment Theory
- Inoculation Theory
- Balance Theory
- Cognitive Dissonance Theory and revised cognitive dissonance model
- Theory of Psychological Reactance
- ELM – Elaboration Likelihood Model
- Hierarchy-of-Effects-Model
- Heuristic-systematic model
- Uses-and-Gratifications-Approach, mood management
Mass communication trends:
- Multiple fragmentations as contextual conditions for communication management
Levels of Processing from Perception to Action:
- Attention, perception, categorization, emotion, cognition, evaluation, motivation
- Nonverbal communication, Semiotics, Laws of Gestalt Psychology, Schema Theory, orientation reaction, etc.
Hierarchical System of Regulation and Adaptation:
- Reflexes, sentiments, emotions, feelings, meanings, thoughts, opinions, attitudes, beliefs, values
Day 2:
The brain as the tool and target of persuasive techniques: brain structures and processes as the framework for persuasion theories
- Core principles rule the main functions of our brain: the automatic, social and emotional brain
- Brain processes on different levels: collective, individual, situational – modularity of the mind
- The human mind as an adaptive mental system: brain processes become structures
- Man as trivial and non-trivial machine
- Somatic marker hypothesis, embodiment, from mirror neurons to theory of mind
Learning theories:
- Classical and instrumental conditioning
- Observational learning (modelling, possible selves)
The rationality of emotions:
- Reflexive vs. reflective judgements, automaticity of mind
- Priming – the manipulation/modulation of the direction of associations; framing
- Demarcation line between conscious and unconscious processes in the brain
- Autopilot-System, zombie systems, enslavement and consistency principle
Day 3:
Judgment & Decision Making:
- Attitudes: function, formation, components, structure, change
- Theory of planned behaviour, theory of reasoned action, multi-attribute decision analysis, satisficing, adaptive decision making
- The MODE model (Motivation and Opportunity as DEterminants of the attitude-behavior relation)
- Interplay of emotion & cognition (meta-emotions, meta-cognitions)
Bounded rationality: heuristics & biases, mental shortcuts:
- Fundamental attribution error, mere-exposure-effect, validity-effect, endowment effect, third person effect, primacy vs. recency effects, attractiveness bias, sleeper effect, sunk-cost fallacy, risk/loss aversion, context and contrast effects, etc.
Profiling methods: basic set of personality traits
- Sensation & variety seeking, basic motives, introversion vs. extraversion, locus of control, involvement, age-related neurotransmitter levels, regulatory fit: promotion vs. prevention focus, etc.
Techniques for persuasive interventions:
- Social proof & conformity, sub-mental signals of dominance, scarcity, honesty, nonverbal signs of self-assurance, reciprocation, liking, commitment/consistency, authority, etc.
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