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

With substantial revisions reflecting new research and changes in society, the fifth edition of Dynamics of Persuasion introduces students to major theories of persuasion and attitudes, using theory as the key to unlock the mysteries of contemporary social influence. Organized in terms of major concepts, issues, and persuasion contexts, the book offers a lucid introduction to the body of scholarly knowledge on persuasion, up-to-date examples of persuasion in real life, and a thorough discussion of the ethics of persuasion in contemporary society.

Richard M. Perloff, Professor of Communication at Cleveland State University, has been on the faculty at Cleveland State since 1979. He has written scholarly textbooks on persuasion, political communication, and the communication of AIDS prevention. Dr. Perloff is a nationally-known expert on the third-person effect, the divergent perceptions of mass media impact on others and the self. From 2003 to 2011, he served as chair and the first director of the School of Communication at Cleveland State. Perloff enjoys teaching undergraduate persuasion, graduate persuasion, and political communication courses at Cleveland State. He is a Fellow of the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research, writes feature stories for Cleveland weekly newspapers, and has received city and state-wide journalism awards for his work. He lives in Beachwood, Ohio with his family, is an early morning swimmer, and newspaper-with- coffee aficionado.