A Goal Systematic Approach to Persuasion

This chapter introduces the goal systematic approach to persuasion. Four distinct persuasive strategies are presented that can be used to alter the goal–means architecture in a decision maker’s mind to influence means’ evaluation. On the goal level, additional goals can be made more or less salient. For instance, a persuader can point out that additional goals the recipient holds are being served or harmed by the target means. On the means level, a persuader can shape the decision context favorably. Persuasive attempts are more successful when accompanied by a substitute means that allows the recipient to still fulfill their needs. For instance, reactance as a response to influence attempts can be reduced when recipients are presented with an alternative means to reassert their attitudinal freedom. Lastly, juxtaposition to a more detrimental means can increase a target means’ perceived instrumentality.