Persuasion entails the obvious intent aimed at influencing another person’s mental state via communication in a situation whereby the persuadee has some leverage due to a measure of freedom. It is noted that despite the primary objective of impacting others, the paradigm cases of persuasion are ordinarily achieved by altering what people think or their thought processes (O’Keefe, 2016). This mental state might be characterized as an attitude since the underlying presumption is that an attitudinal change is reflective of behavioral change. Historically, attitudes have evolved to be viewed as “orientations of mind” instead of the body because an individual’s internal state often exerts influence on overt behavior. Daniel J. O’Keefe highlighted the importance of adapting and tailoring messages to audiences to enhance persuasiveness. Notable models that gain significance in the persuasion process entail the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Cognitive Dissonance Theory. For example, TPB is intertwined with the concept of persuasion since it avails a theoretical framework for comprehending how it could result in attitudinal and behavioral alterations. Alternatively, Cognitive Dissonance Theory also influences persuasive tendencies because the underlying messages may induce cognitive dissonance, leading to changes in attitudes and behaviors. For instance, when people are exposed to messages or views that contradict their existing behaviors and attitudes, they could experience dissonance, which may encourage them to change in line with the persuasive messages. Thus, a newer model of persuasion can integrate the TPB and Cognitive Dissonance Theory’s components to develop effective strategies that are specific to goals and target audience, while employing psychological discomfort in attitude and behavioral change.
The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)
Personal Attitudes
Attitudes shape individual behaviors since they depict how one feels toward something. It is the summation of people’s knowledge, prejudices, and attitudes, including negative and positive when considering personal conduct. In this view, an individual’s attitude towards a particular behavior might promote the need to uphold it, whereas negative perceptions may force a person to deter a specific behavior (Brookes, 2023). For example, an individual who finds pleasure in physical exercises may harbor a positive attitude towards the associated practices, making them enjoyable and repetitive. Engaging in exercises regularly, becomes a routine that the person cherishes and spreads to others. However, those with a negative attitude toward the practice may deem it tedious and dangerous, alleviating their motivation to engage in it. It is also noted that some attitudes may be outrightly dangerous, posing great risks to life, including alcoholism and smoking, although some people may view it as an enjoyable tendency (Brookes, 2023). Ergo, persuasive messages might aim to alter attitudes by reinforcing the positive outcomes of upholding a certain conduct.
Subjective Norms
The other component of TPB is subjective norms which consider how individuals view the ideas presented by others regarding a particular behavior. It narrows down to the social pressure about what people think is good or bad. As such, individuals usually weigh the degree to which others approve or disapprove of their behaviors (Brookes, 2023). When there are stronger social pressures about a particular behavior, a person may resort to adhering to a predetermined conduct. Conversely, when a specific conduct is not subject to social pressures, even if it is wrong, an individual may resort to upholding it. For example, if family, friends, and colleagues disapprove of smoking and alcoholism, one may be less likely to engage in such vices because of the underlying pressure to conform to the social circle’s norms. In this view, subjective norms highlight the impactful role of social influence in decision-making processes (Brookes, 2023). Hence, communicators could formulate successful persuasive strategies that are tailored to social contexts and target audiences.
Perceived Behavior Control
Perceived behavior control refers to a person’s belief in the extent they can control their behavior while maneuvering external constraints. This attitude is tied to the perception of internal factors, including determination and capability, as well as external elements, encompassing support and resources (Brookes, 2023). Consequently, this component of TPB supposes that human perception of behavioral control is impacted by two aspects, mainly intentions and behaviors. In this case, the more a person believes to be in control of their conduct, the more the intention to act in a certain way. It is also noted that people will try harder and longer to succeed in behaving in a particular manner, provided they feel they have a higher level of control (Brookes, 2023). For example, an individual practicing healthy eating habits may feel confident in their capability to sideline unhealthy food temptations, ensuring they maintain a balanced diet. Therefore, persuasive messages can influence people’s intentions and behaviors by enhancing their confidence and agency in realizing their goals.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Cognitive Dissonance Theory focuses on cognitions, including the interaction between different elements. An element may mean a belief, attitude, viewpoint, or knowledge concerning anything, such as oneself, objects, and issues. Whenever two cognitions are in a dissonant relation, the individual predisposed to the two cognitions is described as experiencing dissonance or being in such a state (O’Keefe, 2016). Dissonance could be viewed as an aversive motivational state because people would not want to experience it, and if they do, they will try their best to alleviate it. Notably, the level of dissonance varies from one individual to the other, and could be categorized as a lot, moderate, or little, meaning it increases with increasing pressure to minimize it. Several factors may impact the magnitude of dissonance, including the relative proportion of consonant and dissonant elements, and the importance of the elements or issue (O’Keefe, 2016). Thereupon, effective means of reducing dissonance entail changing the relative propositions of consonant and dissonant elements, and altering the significance of the issues or elements involved.
Persuasive messages and standpoints can result in attitudinal or behavioral shifts in people by inducing cognitive dissonance. When one is exposed to persuasive messages and undertones, it can challenge their existing behaviors and attitudes. This outcome could contribute to dissonance involving their current behaviors and the persuasive message. The need to alleviate this condition will encourage them to alter their perceptions and conduct to conform to the persuasive message (O’Keefe, 2016). Consequently, persuasive messages often utilize various approaches to establish dissonance, including counter-attitudinal advocacy, selective exposure, justification of efforts, and post-decision dissonance. For instance, cognitive dissonance ensues when people champion behaviors that are inconsistent with existing attitudes and values. This tendency leads to selective exposure because a person may actively seek out information that aligns with their beliefs and sideline the contradicting ones. Finally, by challenging people’s existing behaviors and perceptions, Cognitive Dissonance Theory can inspire individuals to reconcile the inconsistency, leading to vital life changes.
Integrating Theories into a New Model of Persuasion
Figure 1: Integrated Persuasive Model
Persuasive Message and Cognitive Dissonance
Integrating TPB and Cognitive Dissonance Theory will result in a richer model of persuasion that can be utilized for comprehending and predicting attitude and behavioral changes. Two vital elements of the hybrid model will entail persuasive message and cognitive dissonance aspects. The persuasive message will function as a stimulus for commencing the persuasion process and will be crafted to impact different psychological factors, including attitudes, preconceived behavior control, subjective norms as well as cognitive dissonance (O’Keefe, 2016). Integrating these factors will motivate people to adopt a certain behavior or belief. For instance, an eco-friendly message will champion eco-friendly practices and sustainability efforts, leading to behaviors and norms that align with environmental conservation. Like the persuasive message, cognitive dissonance will result in discomfort due to conflicting beliefs or behaviors. It will be a motivational factor, prompting people to alleviate the dissonance by altering their behaviors or attitudes. The new model of persuasion will rationalize their preexisting beliefs, ensuring that individuals are predisposed to social pressures. For example, the persuasive message will make individuals practicing unhealthy habits experience cognitive dissonance, forcing them to mend their ways. Ultimately, the integrative model provides a complex comprehension of the unique persuasion processes that influence behavioral changes and persuasion.
Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions, and Behavior and Action
TPB reiterated how attitudes and subjective norms impact behavioral intentions. As such, the persuasive message in the integrative model will seek to affect these elements by aiming at personal beliefs, evaluations, and perceptions that arise due to social pressures and how they influence particular behavioral practices. For example, by appealing to emotions, presenting compelling arguments, and availing social proof, the richer model will seek to alter people’s attitudes and subjective norms to the preferred conduct. The preferred attitudes and behavioral intentions will prompt individuals to engage in socially accepted ways (O’Keefe, 2016). It is also noted that the effectiveness of persuasion will be assessed based on people’s translation of their intentions into actual behavior. This final aspect of the integrative model may ensue due to several factors, such as changed attitudes, minimized cognitive dissonance, perceived behavioral control, and transformed subjective norms. As a result, effective persuasion will prompt individuals to take action that adheres to the advocated conduct. Interestingly, such adoption will entail integrating novel habits, adhering to particular beliefs, and formulating recommendable lifestyle changes among people. In this view, the new model will promote the persuasive message’s ability to impact an individual’s behavior and attitude, underpinning the significance of championing positive outcomes and realizing desired communication objectives in the context of behavior change and persuasion.
Conclusion
Overall, the integration of TPB and Cognitive Dissonance Theory into a novel model of persuasion provided a broad understanding of behavioral change. The persuasive message targeted several aspects of the two theories, including subjective norms, attitudes, cognitive dissonance, and perceived behavior control. For instance, the cognitive dissonance emanating from conflicting beliefs and the persuasive messages encouraged people to alleviate their discomfort. The process of alleviating the underlying discomfort is what contributed to the altering of negative behaviors and attitudes at the expense of socially acceptable ones. In this regard, the success of the persuasion strategy was visible following an individual’s translation of intentions into actions. The translation was driven by minimized cognitive dissonance, altered attitudes, and improved behavioral control. Ultimately, the new integrated model availed a comprehensive framework for formulating effective persuasive strategies that adhere to an individual’s specific needs, contributing to positive attitudinal and behavioral changes.
This integrated model provides a comprehensive framework for crafting persuasive strategies tailored to specific goals and target audiences, ultimately facilitating attitude and behavior change for desired outcomes.
References
(O’Keefe, 2016)
O’Keefe, D. J. (2016). Persuasion: Theory and Research (3rd ed). (2016). SAGE Publications, Inc.
(Brookes, 2023)
Brookes, E. (2023). The theory of planned behavior: Behavioral intention. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/theory-of-planned-behavior.html
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