Chapter 1:
Persuasion = successful intentional effort at influencing another’s mental state through
communication where the persuade has some measure of freedom.
- Only occurs if the mental state of the persuade is changed.
The mental state = attitude evaluative judgement.
- Attitude = a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with
some degree of favor/disfavor.
3 document types:
Informative documents Intended to provide information = informing (newspaper articles).
Instructive documents Intended to help readers perform certain actions = instructing (user
manuals).
Persuasive documents Intended to convince readers of a particular point of view = convincing
(advertisements).
4 criteria of the communication principle:
1. Clarity 2. Honesty
3. Efficiency 4. Relevance.
Reader of informative documents = expect the writer to present relevant information honestly, clearly,
and efficiently.
Reader of persuasive documents = isn’t convinced this has been done since the writer has an interest
in suppressing negative arguments and embellishing positive arguments.
Directive communication (persuasive) information is intended to make the target group draw a
particular conclusion.
Non-directive communication (informative) doesn’t have the intention to steer people towards a
particular conclusion.
4 instruments available to a government when they want to influence behavior:
Financial instruments
Private law instruments
Direct regulation Legislation (Enables the government to stipulate that certain behaviors
are mandatory, and others are prohibited).
Social regulation Public information.
The role of ‘enforcement burden’ and ‘personal responsibility’ in the choice between the measures:
Enforcement burden Government employs inspectors to see if they are following the rules.
Personal responsibility Government appeals to the own responsibility.
Instruments appeal to citizens personal responsibility = lighter enforcement burden.
Instruments don’t appeal to citizens personal responsibility = higher enforcement burden.
How the urgency of the situation influences the choice between the measures:
Very urgent situations The risks are so high that immediate and effective action is imperative =
direct regulation.
Less urgent situations The government can choose between several instruments, based on the
nature of the situation.
,3 dimensions playing a role in less urgent situations:
1. Measurability of the behavior.
o The ease/difficulty with which the government can monitor whether people abide by
the rules.
Low enforcement burden = easy to ascertain that people abide by the rules.
High enforcement burden = difficult to ascertain that people abide by the
rules.
2. Structure of the target group.
o The size & heterogeneity of the group of people who are supposed to change their
behavior.
Low enforcement burden = group is small and easy to identify.
High enforcement burden = group is large and more diverse.
3. Costs for the target group.
o The cost of the behavior change.
Low enforcement burden = costs for the new behavior is low.
High enforcement burden = costs for the new behaviors is high.
When communication should be considered to influence behavior:
Campaigns can influence people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.
- The scope mass media.
- The difference in quality between campaigns campaigns are put together with a lot of
thought.
Effect size:
A qualitative representation of the effect of a variable.
- The larger the effect size the stronger the relationship between 2 variables.
Take-home message of the authors about the effect size of communication research:
Communication specialists should be modest when it comes to using message properties to turn
fervent opponents into enthusiastic supporters.
Chapter 2:
Priming:
Activating concepts or stereotypes by confronting people with words.
Subliminal priming:
Items are presented for such a short time that the subject can’t consciously perceive them and are
therefore below the threshold of conscious perception.
- The subjects didn’t know what they saw.
Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction: IMBP predicts behavior!
, Direct variables have a direct bearing on a person’s behavior.
= Attitude towards behavior.
Indirect variables only influence behavior through the effect they have on the direct variables.
= Personality or cultural background.
3 determinants deciding a person’s behavior:
1. The intention to perform the behavior.
2. The skills necessary to perform the behavior.
3. The environmental constraints that may hinder one to perform the behavior.
3 determinants influencing intention:
Attitude. Concerns the people’s evaluation of the behavior.
Perceived norm Can relate to what the person thinks that s/o believe (normative perceived
norms).
Can relate to what others in the same situation do (descriptive norm).
Self-efficacy Comes down to the question: Do I think I can perform this behavior?
Attitude an evaluative summary of the assumed consequences of the behavior with 2 determinants:
1. The perceived likelihood of the behavior leading to a particular behavior (behavioral beliefs).
2. The degree of desirability of this consequence (evaluations).
Normative perceived norm a summary of 2 factors:
1. Normative beliefs concern what people think other people believe they should do.
2. Motivation to comply the degree to which the person is willing to fulfill the wishes of
these others.
Self-efficacy the extent to which people have control over the behavior to be performed:
Self-efficacy will increase Self-efficacy will decrease
If people have strong beliefs that they have the If people don’t have the necessary skills or think
necessary skills to perform the behavior and if they won’t be able to solve the problems that
they are so convinced that they will be able to may arise.
overcome any associated problems.
Self-monitoring the way in which people see their own behavior, as it were, through the eyes of
others.
- What will people think?
The 3 determinants of behavior are the same for every behavior and must all be met, or else the
behavior will not occur.
Persuasion = successful intentional effort at influencing another’s mental state through
communication where the persuade has some measure of freedom.
- Only occurs if the mental state of the persuade is changed.
The mental state = attitude evaluative judgement.
- Attitude = a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with
some degree of favor/disfavor.
3 document types:
Informative documents Intended to provide information = informing (newspaper articles).
Instructive documents Intended to help readers perform certain actions = instructing (user
manuals).
Persuasive documents Intended to convince readers of a particular point of view = convincing
(advertisements).
4 criteria of the communication principle:
1. Clarity 2. Honesty
3. Efficiency 4. Relevance.
Reader of informative documents = expect the writer to present relevant information honestly, clearly,
and efficiently.
Reader of persuasive documents = isn’t convinced this has been done since the writer has an interest
in suppressing negative arguments and embellishing positive arguments.
Directive communication (persuasive) information is intended to make the target group draw a
particular conclusion.
Non-directive communication (informative) doesn’t have the intention to steer people towards a
particular conclusion.
4 instruments available to a government when they want to influence behavior:
Financial instruments
Private law instruments
Direct regulation Legislation (Enables the government to stipulate that certain behaviors
are mandatory, and others are prohibited).
Social regulation Public information.
The role of ‘enforcement burden’ and ‘personal responsibility’ in the choice between the measures:
Enforcement burden Government employs inspectors to see if they are following the rules.
Personal responsibility Government appeals to the own responsibility.
Instruments appeal to citizens personal responsibility = lighter enforcement burden.
Instruments don’t appeal to citizens personal responsibility = higher enforcement burden.
How the urgency of the situation influences the choice between the measures:
Very urgent situations The risks are so high that immediate and effective action is imperative =
direct regulation.
Less urgent situations The government can choose between several instruments, based on the
nature of the situation.
,3 dimensions playing a role in less urgent situations:
1. Measurability of the behavior.
o The ease/difficulty with which the government can monitor whether people abide by
the rules.
Low enforcement burden = easy to ascertain that people abide by the rules.
High enforcement burden = difficult to ascertain that people abide by the
rules.
2. Structure of the target group.
o The size & heterogeneity of the group of people who are supposed to change their
behavior.
Low enforcement burden = group is small and easy to identify.
High enforcement burden = group is large and more diverse.
3. Costs for the target group.
o The cost of the behavior change.
Low enforcement burden = costs for the new behavior is low.
High enforcement burden = costs for the new behaviors is high.
When communication should be considered to influence behavior:
Campaigns can influence people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.
- The scope mass media.
- The difference in quality between campaigns campaigns are put together with a lot of
thought.
Effect size:
A qualitative representation of the effect of a variable.
- The larger the effect size the stronger the relationship between 2 variables.
Take-home message of the authors about the effect size of communication research:
Communication specialists should be modest when it comes to using message properties to turn
fervent opponents into enthusiastic supporters.
Chapter 2:
Priming:
Activating concepts or stereotypes by confronting people with words.
Subliminal priming:
Items are presented for such a short time that the subject can’t consciously perceive them and are
therefore below the threshold of conscious perception.
- The subjects didn’t know what they saw.
Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction: IMBP predicts behavior!
, Direct variables have a direct bearing on a person’s behavior.
= Attitude towards behavior.
Indirect variables only influence behavior through the effect they have on the direct variables.
= Personality or cultural background.
3 determinants deciding a person’s behavior:
1. The intention to perform the behavior.
2. The skills necessary to perform the behavior.
3. The environmental constraints that may hinder one to perform the behavior.
3 determinants influencing intention:
Attitude. Concerns the people’s evaluation of the behavior.
Perceived norm Can relate to what the person thinks that s/o believe (normative perceived
norms).
Can relate to what others in the same situation do (descriptive norm).
Self-efficacy Comes down to the question: Do I think I can perform this behavior?
Attitude an evaluative summary of the assumed consequences of the behavior with 2 determinants:
1. The perceived likelihood of the behavior leading to a particular behavior (behavioral beliefs).
2. The degree of desirability of this consequence (evaluations).
Normative perceived norm a summary of 2 factors:
1. Normative beliefs concern what people think other people believe they should do.
2. Motivation to comply the degree to which the person is willing to fulfill the wishes of
these others.
Self-efficacy the extent to which people have control over the behavior to be performed:
Self-efficacy will increase Self-efficacy will decrease
If people have strong beliefs that they have the If people don’t have the necessary skills or think
necessary skills to perform the behavior and if they won’t be able to solve the problems that
they are so convinced that they will be able to may arise.
overcome any associated problems.
Self-monitoring the way in which people see their own behavior, as it were, through the eyes of
others.
- What will people think?
The 3 determinants of behavior are the same for every behavior and must all be met, or else the
behavior will not occur.
