Persuasion, Manipulation, and Seduction

The art and skill of communication is varied and complex. We are bombarded daily with messages from personal acquaintances to mass media, vying for our attention and endeavoring to persuade us to feel, think, or act based upon what we see and hear. As communicators ourselves, we attempt to persuade our own audiences—whether personal relationships or business associates—to come into agreement with our views. There is a fine line, however, between trying to persuade someone and attempting to manipulate or seduce them into compliance. This paper will define persuasion, manipulation, and seduction and explore their differences in relation to communication, including examples of each technique.

Persuasion is a broad term that embraces many theories. Authors Robert Gass and John Seiter observe that “Persuasion theories are a lot like noses; everybody has one, some big, some small, and no two exactly alike” (Seiter & Gass, 2004, p. 45). Even so, it can generally be said that “Persuasion is the process by which a person’s attitudes or behaviors are, without duress, influenced by other people through communication” (Codoban, 2006, p. 151).

Examples of common forms of persuasion would be teachers expounding on the benefits of education, preachers giving sermons on the reasons for doing good things to others, and parents explaining to their children why they should follow family rules. While the messages are sometimes benign and other times forceful, they engage the listener’s reasoning and logic and present information through which he or she can process the message and act accordingly.

The commercial messages we see and hear every day are usually persuasive. In a Journal of Marketing article, Myers-Levy reminds us, “Regardless of their content and the techniques they employ, most messages share a common final goal: persuading target consumers to adopt a particular product, service, or idea” (Meyers-Levy, 1999).

Manipulation does not engage the mind, but relies on automatic responses. Codoban notes that,

Manipulation is, according to Robert B. Cialdini, “the ability to produce a distinct kind of automatic, mindless compliance from people, that is, a willingness to say yes without thinking first. The evidence suggests that the ever-accelerating pace and informational crush of modern life will make this particular form of unthinking compliance more and more prevalent in the future” (Codoban, 2006, p. 154).

This technique goes beyond reasonable appeals to the conscience or mind and is intended to elicit a response based on raw programming. In other words, it is meant to sway recipients by means of keeping them passive and reacting on a subconscious level.

Examples of manipulation are political speeches by candidates, which are intended to shape and influence public opinion;

For many political observers, the political history of the twentieth century seemed to illustrate the potential for elites to mold public opinion in ways that were both horrendous (such as the German Nazis’ use of mass rallies) as well as narrowly opportunistic within the confines of representative government (Jacobs, 2001).

Insurance sales people often use fear tactics to manipulate a prospective client into purchasing coverage. Children can use manipulation, such as temper tantrums, to control parents.

Two methods employed by manipulators are called the “foot-in-the-door” technique and the “door-in-the-face” technique. The “foot-in-the-door” technique is to ask for something meaningless in order to get something of value. Panhandlers use this type of manipulation when they ask for the time, followed by a plea for loose change (Codoban, 2006, p. 153). The “door-in-the-face” technique is to ask for something big in order to gain a concession for something small. An example would be a grown child asking his parents to allow him to move back home, knowing his parents will say no, but knowing they will offer him money to pay his rent and bills.

Seduction is the tactic used to lure or seduce an audience into doing or buying something based on human desires. In other words, it appeals to the human desire for happiness or pleasure.

Seduction promises something that it cannot give: an entire, total happiness, without discontinuity and tiredness; just like in movies, or in commercials! The postmodern seduction is a phenomena focused on masses, because it is interested in quantity, just like manipulation, and in its difference from persuasion which is individualized (Codoban, 2006, p. 155).

Seduction promises to fulfill and complete what is missing in the life of the hearer. People are often seduced into giving their life savings in exchange for the promise of unlimited wealth. Con artists prey on the desire of people to have more material possessions. Men and women are sometimes seduced by the promise of romance or relationships, only to be taken advantage of, used, and dumped by the seducer.

Ultimately, audiences respond to persuasion, manipulation, and seduction based on their own perceptions and needs. Those who value knowledge and make their decisions by weighing all the possibilities and outcomes will respond best to persuasion. An audience that is passive is easily manipulated. People with unfulfilled desires are more likely to succumb to seduction.

All three tactics share a commonality, which is to affect change in either individuals or the masses. These tactics differ in strategy and motivation. Where persuaders are motivated to inform and engage listeners, manipulators are motivated to gain compliance through control, deceit, or unethical means, and seducers are motivated to fill their own needs while depriving others of fulfillment.

Regardless of what type of responders we generally are, we encounter a multitude of persuasion, manipulation, and seduction tactics on a regular basis, both as recipients and promoters. Communication is an art and a skill. We walk a fine line in our communication efforts between these modes and must be on guard when sending messages so that we do not try to influence others in unethical ways. We must also be aware of these techniques so that we do not fall victim to manipulation and seduction attempts by individuals or the media.

References

Codoban, A. (2006). From persuasion to manipulation and seduction. SCRI Conference,14, 151 – 158. Retrieved April 10, 2012, from http://vizedhtmlcontent.next.ecollege.com/pub/content/7303136c-1384-4799-959b-55428afb6176/Aurel_Codoban_Article_Week_2.pdf?eclg_res=1356403&eclg_resver=2640695

Jacobs, L. R. (2001). Commentary: Manipulators and Manipulation: Public Opinion in a Representative Democracy. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law 26(6), 1361-1374. Duke University Press. Retrieved April 10, 2012, from Project MUSE database.

Joan Meyers-Levy, & Prashant Malaviya. (1999). Consumers' processing of persuasive advertisements: An integrative framework of persuasion theories. Journal of Marketing, 63, 45-60. Retrieved April 10, 2012, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 46028147).

Seiter, J., & Gass, R. (2004).  Perspectives on Persuasion, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining [Electronic version]. Pearson Custom Publishing).