Persuasion: Social and Scientific Dynamics

Persuasion defines our lives. Every day and everywhere, we are subject to communications produced by governments, associations, and individuals that seek to inspire our thoughts and actions to change. These communications seek to convince, urge, pressure, and sweet-talk their target audience into compliance. Persuasion and influence have been hotly-researched and discussed for decades. In ten chapters, this book holistically profiles the strategies, psychological theories, uses, and case studies concerning persuasion. In particular, this book looks at the science and scholarship of persuasion in a variety of areas including practical persuasive techniques, leadership and influence, the mathematics of persuasion and communication, the psychological foundations of persuasion, persuasion in the domain of global law and international systems, as well as persuasion in marketing and sales, propaganda, and conspiracy theories.