Roloff, M.E. (2020). Process models of persuasion [Word Document]. Retrived from
Northwestern University MSC 513 class email.
In the Heuristic-Systematic model, the motivation of a person greatly contributes to a person’s tendency to respond to a persuasive message. There are several types of motivation, validity, when one wants an attitude that aligns with facts and is accurate, defensive, when one is motivated to defend their attitude or position, and impression, when one wants to hold a socially acceptable attitude in order to be more likeable. Most research has focused on the validity type, but when speaking to individuals’ motivation, one should take into account how likely something is true, whether it is tied to the issue at hand for audience, and if it has not been heard before by the audience. The Systemic component of this model is about processing information that is accessible and analyzed by the person forming an opinion. Individuals compare a message based on what they know to be true. The Heuristic component is a limited form of information processing that requires less effort and resources on behalf of the person forming an opinion because the opinion is based on a subsection of information to make a quick decision. This will happen when individuals rely on their past experiences like if they hear from a trusted expert, if they like the speaker, if the length of message is long, is those around them seem to agree with the message, and if they trust the speaker. All the information presented, however, must be accessible and reliable, it cannot be completely made up. Individuals have knowledge and reporting bias, where they may think something is true because of what they have experienced or if they cannot find something the speaker has to gain from offering the message, respectively. The processing of this information is determined by ability and motivation; the less effort something takes to believe or agree, the more likely a listener will believe a speakers’ message.
Like many of the theories of organizational change presented, this approach broadens my understanding of variety of ways stakeholders need to be addressed or could be engaged during times of change. Having undergone several major shifts in my own working life, this theory allowed me to frame some of experiences effectively.
LO1: articulate connections between the interdisciplinary field of communication and the central curriculum themes of the MSC program.
LO6: create and deliver elegant messages appropriate to audience, purpose, and context.
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