What is Peripheral Persuasion?

Peripheral Persuasion 

Peripheral Persuasion in short is when a person is persuaded through non-logical paths, we call it the peripheral route to persuasion. In peripheral persuasion, listeners pay attention to the prestige of the speaker, the mood of the listener, appearances, and message length. People tend to take the peripheral route when the topic at hand is not relevant to them.

Four Elements of Peripheral Persuasion:

1. Source Characteristics: The persuasiveness of a statement may depend less on what is said than who is saying it. A listener applying a source-based rule of thumb might simply decide that, “Likable speakers are always believable” or, “All lawyers lie.” Your outreach plan should therefore take into account not just what you’re going to say, but who is going to say it.
2. Message Characteristics: When the validity of an argument is determined by message characteristics, it is the context of the message, not the content, that dictates is persuasiveness. For example, 86 percent of Americans believe that reference to statistics increases a speaker’s credibility. Message that contain numbers, appropriate jargon, or seems contrary to self-interest are often deemed to be valid without more careful analysis of the contents.
3. Audience Characteristics: Citizens who do not have the interest or ability to independently review the merits of your arguments often assume that “everyone else” has done so and that therefore they can rely on other people’s opinions. The popularity of a proposal is conclusive proof that it’s a good idea, and vice versa. Again, this reinforces why it is important to correct the misperception that “everyone” is opposed to your real estate proposal.
4. Channel Characteristics: Many people will evaluate the soundness of an argument by looking at the communications tool used to convey the message. An expensive brochure might seem to guarantee a high quality project, or you’ll hear, “Whatever shows up in the newspaper must be true.” Pick your communication vehicles carefully!