Text B. Persuasive Communication

Persuasive communication may be defined as the process through which people attempt to influence the beliefs or actions of others. In many cases persuasive communication involves people who are important to each other -parents influence children, children influence parents, and friends influence each other. Persuasive communication may also involve strangers. When customers are upset about products they have purchased, they may write letters to company officials seeking a refund. Similarly, customers are the targets of television commercials

produced by strangers in advertising agencies. People begin to influence others early in life. Preschool children learn that they can influence other children and adults by crying, smiling, whining, pointing, tugging, and, eventually, talking. By the time children enter school, they use a variety of strategies to influence others.

During elementary school years children grow in their ability to adapt persuasive messages to the people they wish to influence. Research has shown that kindergarteners and children in the first grade tend to use the same strategies when trying to influence different people. Children in grades two and three adapt their persuasive messages by adding words like "May I" and "please." Children who are in the fourth and fifth grades begin to adapt their messages to specific people. For example, they begin to use strategies when trying to gain favours from teachers that differ from those they use in trying to gain favours from friends.

In senior high school students continue to grow in the number and sophistication of persuasive strategies used. The average high school senior, for example, anticipates and responds to arguments that disagree with his or her own. High school seniors, however, still have much to learn about influencing others and responding critically to attempts to influence them. Since persuasive communication is complex, learning about it is a lifelong process.

Persuasive communication plays a central role in a number of professions. Lawyers, salespersons, advertising specialists, public relations experts, and politicians must use persuasive communication. While persuasive communication may not be the central ingredient in many careers, most people need to be able to influence others in work-related settings.

The most talked-about form of persuasive communication in contemporary life is advertising.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14