The Dynamics of Persuasion ─ Communication and Attitudes in the 21st Century

The Dynamics of Persuasion provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to persuasive communication and attitude change. Offering a thorough discussion of classic and contemporary theories of persuasion, this text explores the structure and functions of attitudes, consistency between attitude and behavior, and issues in attitude measurement.

Examining persuasion through media, interpersonal, and psychological lenses, author Richard M. Perloff systematically investigates the impact of persuasive communication on attitudes toward a variety of topics, including health, politics, and racial prejudice. In addition to presenting persuasion theory and research, he provides numerous examples of persuasion in action, demonstrating the role of persuasion research in everyday life. Written in a highly accessible and clear style, The Dynamics of Persuasion serves to:





introduce the social science perspective on persuasion


enhance understanding of persuasion theories and research


highlight the major issues discussed in the field of persuasion research


explore the complexities and subtleties in the dynamics of everyday persuasion


raise awareness about the ethics of contemporary persuasion.


New to this edition are:



2008 election examples interspersed througout the text


focused discussions on compliance-gaining and negative advertising


examples of strong attitude, such as the pros and cons of using animals in research.


Complimented by a Companion Website (www.routledge.com/textbooks/dynamicso...) with resources for students and instructors, The Dynamics of Persuasion is an engaging text appropriate for advanced courses on persuasion in communication, psychology, marketing, and sociology. In its exploration of the dynamics of persuasive communication, it illuminates the powerful effects persuasion has in contemporary society and enhances understanding of this ubiquitous communicative strategy.

Richard M. Perloff is Professor and Director of the School of Communication at Cleveland State University. He has taught at Cleveland State University for 30 years. Prior to that, he received his Ph.D. in mass communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in social psychology and communication at Ohio State University. Dr. Perloff has written books on persuasion, political communication, and applications of social science to the AIDS crisis. A Fellow of the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research, he is nationally known for scholarship on perceptions of media effects.