Business Negotiations Week - 7 Video - 5

Summary

This video delves into the two primary routes of influence: the central and peripheral routes. The central route involves conscious, active thinking where individuals evaluate and integrate messages into their existing mental models. For effective central-route influence, individuals must be both motivated and capable of processing the information. Key factors like message content, organization, and presentation play critical roles in persuasion. The video also highlights the importance of powerful language, message structure, and engaging dialogue to facilitate persuasion. The next video will explore the peripheral route, where influence occurs more automatically without deep cognitive processing.

Takeaways

• 😀 Influence can be achieved through two main routes: the central route (direct) and the peripheral route (indirect).
• 😀 The central route involves conscious, active thinking, where people evaluate and integrate messages into their existing mental models.
• 😀 For the central route to work, recipients must be both motivated and able to process the message effectively.
• 😀 Motivation to process messages is higher when the message is emotionally rich, personally relevant, and provided by credible sources.
• 😀 Ability to process messages can be affected by distractions, complexity, or the pacing of the information being presented.
• 😀 Fear-arousing messages can be persuasive if coupled with clear, effective solutions to overcome the threats.
• 😀 A two-sided message that acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints is more persuasive than a one-sided message.
• 😀 The complexity and scope of a message should be carefully managed to ensure the audience can fully understand and evaluate it.
• 😀 Moderate repetition (two to three times) of a credible message can enhance persuasion, but excessive repetition may backfire.
• 😀 Powerful language enhances credibility and can make the message more persuasive, while weak language can detract from the impact.
• 😀 Engaging the other party in dialogue, rather than delivering a monologue, improves receptiveness and makes the message more persuasive.

Q & A

What are the two main routes to influence as discussed in the video?

The two main routes to influence discussed in the video are the central route (direct route) and the peripheral route (indirect route). The central route involves conscious and active processing of information, while the peripheral route happens automatically without conscious evaluation.

What does the central route of influence require from the recipient?

The central route of influence requires the recipient to be both motivated and able to consciously evaluate the message. They need to be willing to expend mental effort to identify issues, consider supporting evidence, and gather additional information.

How does motivation affect the central route of influence?

Motivation to evaluate messages is high when the message is emotionally rich, personally relevant, and important to the recipient. If the message holds personal significance and the recipient feels accountable for evaluating it, they are more likely to engage with it using the central route.

What factors diminish a person's ability to evaluate a message under the central route?

Factors that diminish a person's ability to evaluate a message include distractions (noise), overly complex messages, and messages that are not understandable or are repeated too many times. These obstacles reduce the recipient's capacity to process and evaluate the message effectively.

Why is message content important when using the central route to influence?

Message content is important because it needs to be personally relevant to the recipient. Persuasive messages should demonstrate how a proposal aligns with the recipient's interests and provide solutions to potential threats, which increases the likelihood of acceptance.

How does message organization affect the central route of influence?

Message organization is crucial because two-sided messages (which acknowledge and refute opposing viewpoints) are more persuasive than one-sided messages. Additionally, the complexity and scope of the message should be manageable to ensure the recipient can fully understand and evaluate it.

What is the role of repetition in the central route to influence?

Moderate repetition (typically two to three times) of credible messages is more influential than either minimal or excessive repetition. This allows the recipient to engage with the message more deeply without causing annoyance or diminishing the message's impact.

What kind of language should be used when presenting a message via the central route?

Powerful language should be used when presenting a message to convey credibility and competence. Avoiding weak language, hedging, or expressions of uncertainty is essential to ensure that the message is taken seriously and is persuasive.

How does language intensity influence persuasion in the central route?

Language intensity, conveyed through emotionality and specificity, can enhance persuasion. For example, the use of intense language like threats or expressions of anger can elicit more concessions, especially when the recipient believes the threat is credible.

Why is dialogue preferred over monologue in the central route to influence?

Dialogue is preferred because it suggests interaction with an acquaintance rather than confronting a stranger. Engaging in a conversation fosters a more favorable reception of the message, as the recipient feels involved and valued in the process.