Seeking and resisting compliance : why people say what they do when trying to influence others / Steven R. Wilson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wilson, Steven R.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Persuasion (Psychology).

Influence (Psychology).

Communication--Psychological aspects.

Communication.

Physical Description:

xii, 393 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Sage Publications, [2002]

Summary:

Why do individuals say what they do during everyday face-to-face influence interactions? How do people seek or resist compliance in different relational, institutional, and cultural contexts? Linking theory and research to salient, real life examples and recent academic studies, Steven Wilson introduces the reader to the theories, systems of message analysis, complexities and nuances of interpersonal persuasion.

Seeking and Resisting Compliance is the only single-authored, interdisciplinary text to explore compliance gaining and resistance from a message production perspective. This incisive, clearly written text is ideal for students, scholars, and anyone interested in interpersonal influence and persuasion in everyday interactions.

Features of this text: -- Ground breaking, specific focus on message production as opposed to only message effects.-- Multiple theoretical perspectives are presented and the vast body of research from communication, psychology, linguistics, philosophy and related fields is reviewed.-- Student-friendly pedagogy, such as definitions, examples, and sections describing "common assumptions" about various theories engage students and highlight important concepts.

Recommended for graduate and upper-level undergraduate courses in persuasion as well as special topics courses in interpersonal influence, social psychology, and sociolinguistics.

Contents:

1. What Is Persuasive Message Production? 1

What Is Compliance Gaining? 4

On the Ethics of Seeking Compliance 8

What Is Message Production? 13

Persuasive Message Production: Three Themes 15

Part I. Describing Influence Interactions 19

2. The Traditional Approach to Message Analysis: Nominal-Level Strategies 21

The Task of Describing Influence Interactions 24

Nominal-Level Typologies of Influence Strategies 27

Evaluation of Nominal-Level Typologies 39

3. Alternative Approaches to Message Analysis: Themes, Dimensions, and Temporal Characteristics 47

Nominal-Level Content Themes in Influence Messages 48

Dimensions of Influence Behavior 56

Temporal Characteristics of Influence Interactions 69

Part II. Metaphors for Studying Persuasive Message Production 83

4. The First Generation: Persuasive Message Production as Strategy Selection 85

The Compliance-Gaining Tradition 86

The Constructivist Tradition 115

From Strategy Repertoires to Goal Pursuit 128

5. The Second Generation: Persuasive Message Production as Goal Pursuit 133

Conceptualizing Goals 134

Defining the Situation: Research on Influence Goals 139

Multiple Goals as Constraints: Research on Secondary Goals 144

Forming Interaction Goals: The Cognitive Rules Model 168

Evaluating the Utility of a Goals Perspective 173

Part III. Theories of Goal Pursuit 181

6. Discourse Perspectives on Persuasive Message Production 183

Questions Posed by Discourse Scholars 185

Obstacles to Compliance: Attribution and Speech Act Theories 201

Threats to Face: Politeness and Message Design Logic Theories 218

7. Cognitive Perspectives on Persuasive Message Production 241

Cognitive Theories: Key Concepts and Assumptions 246

Plans and Planning for Communication 249

Action Assembly Theory 280

Part IV. Studying Persuasive Message Production in Context 291

8. Producing Persuasive Messages in Context: Two Case Studies 293

Case 1 Persuasive Message Production and Child Physical Abuse 297

Case 2 Persuasive Message Production and Upward Influence in Organizations 310

9. The Future of Theory and Research on Persuasive Message Production 341

Persuasive Message production: Three Challenges 342.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 349-376) and indexes.

ISBN:

0761905227

0761905235

OCLC:

48754665