The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and Attitudes in the Twenty-First Century

by Richard M. Perloff

Now in its seventh edition, this essential text continues to provide students with a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the study and practice of persuasive communication. Attuned to the swift changes in the world of persuasion in the twenty-first century, this book covers how theories and research illuminate and adapt to our present digital era, with continued attention to ethical implications and today’s big topics. This new edition features updated definitions of key terms in the field as they relate to present-day practice; an integration of persuasion theories and the ubiquity of online influence; new examples and cases to illustrate persuasive communication’s approach to health campaigns, attitudes, communicator appeals, dissonance, and ethics; and a thorough reflection of the most current scholarship in the field. The Dynamics of Persuasion, Seventh Edition provides a solid foundation for undergraduate students in communication studies and psychology to grasp the key concepts and practices of persuasive communication today. The book is complemented by online resources for both instructors and students, including an instructor’s manual, lecture slides, sample test questions, and links to relevant articles and videos illustrating concepts presented in the text. Please visit www.routledge.com/cw/perloff.

Genres: Psychology, Communication, Grad School, Textbooks

566 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1993

Reviews

[Cameron Sauschuck]

for class

[Alberto Tebaldi]

this is a very exhaustive textbook on the topic, however I gave 3 stars because I could not find anything ground-breaking in it.

[molly]

i did actually read this entire textbook for class. thank you very much. but it was very interesting, i enjoyed it i can’t lie.

[Mani]

The content is great. I really enjoyed the models of attitudes and their roles in belief formation.

I liked the part about Elaboration Likelihood Model.

I also enjoyed how the models were introduced in a sequence that made each model's shortcomings clear.

i docked a star because I feel as if it took me to the edge but didn't give me that last shove,

[Abby Kelley]

This is by far one of the worst textbooks I've ever read. (1) You do not need 20 examples per topic; (2) I understand that authors bring their own biases, but it does not need to be this obvious (e.g., don't imply that only gay men have AIDs); and (3) please, for God's sake don't romanticize Hitler's oratory. The one redeeming part of this book is that it does a very good job with definitions (hence, the one star).

[Gede Suprayoga]

The book is full of references from literature and information on experimentation. It's also practical for daily communication and purposeful persuasion contexts (such as marketing, political consultancy, and advocacy). I enjoy the reading of it.

[Shyanne]

I think this is probably my favorite textbook so far. I had a horrible professor, BUT the content in this was actually really well written and researched. It was VERY lengthy (as any grad school textbook is) but I was not miserable, but in fact enjoyed the content.
4 stars

[Juan]

Manbreakingchains.jpeg

[Sophievb69]

what the fuck is up with this author referring to Black people as 'Blacks'???????

[Larry McCloskey]

A bit of a one-size-fits-all textbook on persuasion, this book borrows heavily from other authors but casts that previous scholarship in a uniquely accessible light.

Having had the pleasure of taking this course and using this text under the author, I can tell you that this book brings to life his enthusiasm and genuine passion for the subject matter. Cialdini's "Influence" and in so doing, takes the plethora of useful information from Cialdini's work and makes it palatable, removing the monotony and repetition. The concepts here are neatly broken down and compartmentalized, making each concept easily understandable.

The one "knock" on the book is that it touts itself as being aimed at upper-level scholarship and that is debatable. There is no original research to speak of and in some instances, conciseness is sacrificed for the sake of brevity and the aforementioned clarity.

In sum, though, this is a strong text for the communications student as well as the persuader in all of us.

[Todd Cheng]

I was in the mood to read a textbook on persuasion. I wanted to revisit the psychology of the topic. Figured in the mix of the social media that hijacks ones mind it was a good investment in being able to identify and deflect unwanted persuasions.

The book helped me catch back up on the university studies of 20 years ago. Revisit the topic in a way that I expect can dodge the ills of the craft in media and workplace.

It was not a hard read, but also took me a year t

[Jvermeersch]

We used this book in my undergraduate course at university (Communication Sciences), and it also was a good reference work for my Master's thesis on strategies for immunization against persuasion. A book I would suggest to anyone interested in persuasive communication! Written in a very fluent and accessible style, with plenty of real-life examples.

[Julia]

Amazing book! Well written, fluent in language, understandable and well explained. This was an interesting read and is highly recommendable for people who want to know the basics, but also in depth explained details of persuasion.

[Jennifer]

I read this book as a textbook for a class. It isn't bad. I did learn a number of things. It just didn't grab me the way some of the other non-fiction books I have been reading lately have.

[Linda]

This book is easy to read and provides a clear overview of the primary theories of persuasive communication.

[Tamera]

It's a textbook. What am I going to say?!?!