THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ATTITUDES AND PERSUASION Greetings, influence agents! Today we’re delving into the psychology behind attitudes, how they form, and how they can be changed. What makes messages and ideas persuasive? Let’s break it down! Defining Attitudes In psychology, an attitude refers to our evaluation or judgment of a person, idea, object, or issue. Attitudes can be positive or negative, simple or complex. They influence our social perceptions and behaviors. The ABC Model A leading theory proposes attitudes have three components: A - Affect - The feelings we associate with the attitude B - Behavior - How we act towards the attitude object C - Cognition - Our beliefs and thoughts about it Effective persuasion targets all three elements. Origins of Attitudes Where do attitudes come from in the first place? Main sources include:  Direct experience interacting with the attitude object  Observing and modeling the attitudes of others  Receiving information from outside sources like media or friends  Inner emotional associations or projections onto the object The Elaboration Likelihood Model How can we change existing attitudes? The elaboration likelihood model outlines two routes: Central route - Persuasion through carefully considering arguments and facts. More effortful but leads to lasting change. Peripheral route - Persuasion through surface cues like celebrities, emotions, music. Faster but less durable change. Persuasion Strategies and Techniques Some key strategies and techniques to persuade include:  Making messages personally relevant to the audience. We care more when it affects us.  Tapping into strong emotions like humor, fear, anger, or warmth. Emotion = attention.  Using vivid stories, testimonials, and imagery. Make it imaginable.  Building source credibility and trust. We believe persuasive speakers we like and identify with. Ethics of Persuasion Of course, we must also consider the ethics of using psychology to persuade. Being thoughtful about intentions and means is crucial.