1. There are couple of questions when you open the first document "ACE SCENARIOS" in order to answer the questions in document you need to read/check the document named " What is Persuasion". Another

What Is Persuasion?

Persuasion is a form of influence. It is a process of guiding people toward the adoption of a behavior, belief, or attitude that the persuader prefers.2 It can take place in a single meeting or over a series of discussions.3 It involves careful preparation and proper presentation of arguments and supporting evidence in an appropriate and compelling emotional climate.

Some of the skills and techniques of persuasion are rooted in research in traditional and cognitive psychology. Back in the 1950s, psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term cognitive dissonance to explain the tension that exists when individuals’ beliefs do not align with their behaviors. The dissonance results in tension or discomfort. An effective persuader will be aware of this dissonance and employ a variety of tactics to help restore consonance or alignment between espoused values or beliefs of those to be persuaded and their behaviors or actions.

Another theory that underpins the concept of persuasion is inoculation theory. Borrowing from the medical field, McGuire suggested that in the same way individuals receive a small injection of a disease-producing substance to increase their immunity against that disease, persuaders can be effective when they anticipate the objections of the persuadee and address those objections before they arise.

A more recent model of persuasion effectiveness is Reardon’s ACE Theory. She suggests that people use three criteria to determine whether to respond to a persuader’s arguments: appropriateness, consistency, and effectiveness.

Therefore, most successful persuasion attempts employ one or more of these characteristics:

■ Appropriateness—the right thing to do, based on generally accepted standards or norms, or in some cases, rules of law or morality. Appropriateness appeals are geared to the persuadee’s or audience’s belief system and interests.

■ Consistency—the degree to which the action or belief proposed compares to that of similar others or to their own past behaviors or espoused beliefs. Appeals to consistency demonstrate that the persuader understands the beliefs or past behaviors of similar others and presents arguments that make sense or track with these beliefs or behaviors.

■ Effectiveness—the degree to which an action or idea leads to a desirable state or outcome. By knowing what the persuadee or audience wants or needs, a persuader can demonstrate how adoption of the proposed idea or action will help meet those needs.

For example, let’s say you have been working for the last six months for a financial services firm doing research on market trends. The job is great, but the commute is a hassle . . . and getting worse. Not only has there been an increase in the traffic and com- mute time, but also in the cost of gas and parking. You would like to convince your department head that telecommuting is a viable option—particularly since you could do your research job anywhere there is a computer and high-speed access—and that allowing you to work from home two days a week is in everyone’s best interest. So, you construct your three-pronged appeal:

Appropriateness: “You know, our two biggest competitors—Company X and Company Y— have been allowing their employees to telecommute for two years now. By implementing a similar program, we can increase our competitiveness in recruiting while also showing that we care about the environment.”

Consistency: “You’ve always said that it’s important that we’re on the leading edge of technology . . . well, here’s a way that we can capitalize on the technology available and assert our position as a technology leader.”

Effectiveness: “If employees are allowed to work at home, they will be less stressed and more productive because they didn’t have to fight traffic or worry about picking kids up from daycare on time. They can even work on days they would otherwise be absent due to illness—theirs or a family member’s. Moreover, the ability to telecommute may help us attract even more desirable employees.”