Section A32: 'But Wait, There's More!' The Psychology of Everyday Persuasion
Note: To take this course, you must also enroll in English 101 Section B32.
Why do phrases such as "9 out of ten experts believe..." "hurry while quantities last," and "but wait, there's more!" grab our attention and make us more likely to make a purchase? This seminar will explore the psychological research on persuasion focusing specifically on the everyday tactics that marketers use to get us to comply with their wishes. We will begin by exploring the various types of persuasion tactics most commonly used and the research that has tested their effectiveness. Through lecture and discussion we will learn how everyday social cues influence us to buy, vote, and believe in the direction we are being given. In addition to understanding these persuasion techniques, we will also locate and analyze specific examples of these marketing tactics as found in advertisements, political speeches, propaganda, etc. We will also discuss how people can protect themselves from these marketing appeals and whether or not such techniques are ethical to use.
As a final project for the course, students will use class material and library research to investigate an example of a situation where several persuasive appeals are used in combination. For example, students could go to a car lot and observe how the salesperson tries to persuade them to buy a particular car or pay a certain price, or they could gather persuasive materials for a particular product or service and investigate the complete marketing approach. Ultimately, we should become much more aware of the social influences around us and understand the larger psychological context in which persuasion is used.