COM 4510 - Persuasion and Social Influence

Credits: 4

This course is designed to examine the study of persuasive communication as it evolved from the disciplines of psychology and sociology. Special emphasis is placed on types of social influence and how people try to influence one another attitudinally or behaviorally in a wide variety of real-life communication contexts, situations, and settings. Some topics discussed will include consistency, credibility, and compliance-gaining. The course will also investigate structuring and ordering persuasive messages, the relationship between choice and coercion, as well as tactics for resisting another’s attempt to persuade. Ethics, deception, motivational appeals, propaganda, social responsibility, and conformity are other areas critically assessed.
Prerequisite(s): COM 1020 andCOM 2401 or COM 2801