535 Report 2

Dr. Gass

HCOM 535

Spring 2009

Class Report 2

= Your second class report should focus on how persuasion, social influence, or compliance gaining functions in a particular context or setting. Select a specific context in which persuasion occurs and examine the range of strategies and tactics used bot= h by those seeking to persuade as well as those trying to resist being persuade= d. Explain how persuasion functions within that context, what “makes it tick.”

= Identify the primary strategies, tactics, and forms of influence that characterize influence attempts in that particular context. Demonstrate that you have a solid= grasp of the literature related to that context. Your report should reflect your understanding of theories, concepts= , and processes central to the particular context.

= Identity dependable, if qualified, generalizations related to the context you’= ;ve chosen. Try to reconcile inconsistencies among studies and identify commonalities across studies. If there are important limitation= s or qualifications that need to be attached to the generalizations you've identified, point them out.

You should provide= a handout for the class containing a summary of key concepts and findings. The handout should include an "annotated bibliography" (complete references and accompanying abstracts) of published research, especially recent research,= on the theory. Your report should be approximately 30 minutes long.

= Some possible persuasive contexts that have been discussed in the literature ar= e:

activist art as persuasion<= o:p>

adolescent/ peer influence<= o:p>

begging, panhandling

blogosphere and persuasion<= o:p>

charitable fund-raising and philanthropic giving

child abduction, "stra= nger danger" programs*

child-parent, parent-child influence

cinematic persuasion

classroom compliance-gainin= g*

courtroom persuasion (narro= w to a more specific context)

cult conversion and deprogr= amming*

D.A.R.E. program*

food server-restaurant patr= on relationships*

infomercials

intimates and compliance-ga= ining*

intercultural or cross-cult= ural compliance gaining*

organizational compliance-g= aining (upward/downward influence)*

physician-patient complianc= e*

police interrogation*<= /o:p>

political attack ads*<= /o:p>

political/editorial cartoon= s

presidential debates*<= /o:p>

product placement (in TV, c= inema)*

public health/ awareness ca= mpaigns (seat belts, smoking cessation, condom usage, Just Say No, etc.)*

retail sales transactions*<= o:p>

sexual compliance gaining a= nd resisting*

shock ads and subvertising<= o:p>

social networks and persuas= ion (MySpace, Facebook,

support groups, 12 step pro= grams, self-help organizations

&nb= sp; social movements and persuasion (animal rights, pro-life, etc.)*

&nb= sp; telemarketing

&nb= sp; Web advertising, on-line marketing*

= *Asterisks indicate areas where research is more plentiful.