Persuading an individual of the credentials of counter economics is tough, let alone selling Anarchism. Psychology provides us with enough understanding and information for us to better sculpt our arguments and defences to make the hard sell easier.
Structure of an Attitude
An attitude is any individuals feelings, actions of thoughts about a particular object, person or idea. This is what we are attempting to change when we try to convince others about the effectiveness of our ideas. Attitudes can be neutral, where two conflicting opinions cancel out, positive or negative. These attitudes are what you are attacking when you challenge someone’s attitude in debate.
Communicating the Message
Persuading a person to change an attitude depends on how you go about communicating that message. In order for a message to have any effect on the target, certain variables must be considered.
Medium – Simply, over what medium the message is communicated, be it newspaper, magazine, in conversation, a TV report and so on.
Source – Who is conveying the message. If you openly identify as an Anarchist without first introducing yourself without the Anarchist bias, you will likely be distrusted by the other party and your message will fall on deaf ears. A proper impression needs to be formed of you, the person, before they will consider your arguments
Message – What is said in a message. Care needs to be taken to challenge the targets beliefs, without being so challenging that the target immediately rejects the argument.
Audience – Who it is you are trying to persuade. Refrain from immediately trying to convert hardcore statists, you will only inoculate them against your argument. Take it slowly.
Targeted Behaviour – What behaviour it is that you are targeting (if any). If a person has grown up performing a particular action, they will be incredibly unlikely to change that behaviour easily.
Before any attempt at persuasion can be effective, the message variables need to be accounted for or the target will be unwilling to listen.
Persuasive Methods
Central Route
The central route is one of two methods that can be used to persuade a target. Of the two, the central route is a far more involved method as success depends totally on the strength of the arguments being used. The strength of these argument must be enough to overcome the current attitude of the target, or the attempt will fail with negative results. Upon success, this method has the benefit that the target will be unlikely to return to their old attitude, as they have now become resistant as the stronger argument has replaced the weaker.
Peripheral Route
The Peripheral Route is the opposite of the central route. Rather than operating on the strength of an argument, it relies on psychological cues and gimmicks to be effective. This method is used far more often than the central route as it is quicker, easier and requires less effort. However, a successful attempt at persuasion may be subject to change as it was never really argued resulting in the attitude being weak.
To summarise, you can either attack a persons attitude with a gimmick such as an attractive women and playing on their emotions, or you can debate them. Hearts or minds.
Persuasion Resistance
Remember: Failing to persuade a person, particularly with the central route, may result in making the target resistant to future attempts at attitude change. Psychological inoculation occurs in a similar way to viral inoculation, successful rejection of weaker arguments will make a person less likely to be persuaded by stronger arguments in another discussion about the same subject. The person becomes more confident of their position and the strength of their attitude increases. Make sure your arguments are strong each and every time.
Suggested Further Reading
ABC model of attitudes
Bi-Directional link between attitudes and behaviour
Yale Model of Persuasion
Elaboration Likelihood Model
Pretty easy right? Just remember to keep this information in mind the next time you enter into a debate.
