Everyday I use the tool of communication. Through this tool I expect responses from people. Sometimes I communicate to influence others by modifying their beliefs, values or attitudes. I do this through persuasion. But I have realized that not all my messages would create my desired response.
Through the social judgment theory I have learned that the recipient decides what message I am sending based on his prior attitude and ego-involvement. For example, I am talking to a teen-ager about the bad effects of alcohol in the body.If he grew up with an alcoholic father and he resents it, he would accept my message. Based on the discrepancy between his perceived message and his prior attitude, he would accept my position opposing alcoholism. However, if he never had an experience with an alcoholic, he has no concern on the issue or if he has a high ego involvement since he wants to try drinking alcohol due to curiosity, he shall reject the message. If the receiver realized that there is small to moderate discrepancies between their anchor positions to the advocate, change is imminent.
But, large discrepancies will not. Another factor why sometimes I do not see the expected change after my persuasion is because people sometimes tend to distort incoming information to fit their categories of judgment. That explains why my enemy would always misinterpret my words no matter how good my intention is. In my future communication practice, I shall take an in-depth recognition of these factors before I employ persuasion: How crucial is the issue to the receiver? What is his anchor attitude? Because such questions would gauge the outcome of my persuasion.
