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Influencing Attitudes & Behaviors for Social
Change
Neil Wollman
Unpublished Paper
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The following general principles have been established from
research and experience in laboratory or real life settings,
involving diverse areas such as education, business, environmental
behavior, and public health, as well as direct application to
political change. Because people are different and situations vary,
the ideas will not always work, but if applied creatively, in
combination, and over time, they will help you move closer to your
political goals. Choose and then apply the below ideas for the
situation you are in; one could not, and there is no need to, apply
all the ideas in any given situation. Utilizing these ideas the best
will take time, brainstorming, practice, setting objectives and
regularly evaluating progress, and (sometimes) doing research about
those you want to reach and the political situation they are in
(either informally or via a structured poll)--whether your "audience"
is approached in one-on-one or small group conversation, through
speeches, by written materials, or via other media.
In your strategizing, you'll need to determine
- a) what are the causes of the problem,
- b) what is the solution, and
- c) who has the power to make the needed change--both what
advocates can apply pressure, and what groups actually set the
policy you want to change.
Work your outreach campaign, fundraising appeal, etc. around the
principles by starting first with those ideas and seeing which ones
and how they can best be utilized. Such an effort likely means
eliminating certain of your ventures so that the ones you do are done
better--hopefully bringing more success and perhaps an expanded
program later. You will also need to judge whether you consider some
of the below ideas to be too manipulative or unethical. Finally, be
aware that most of the ideas below derive from work in psychology;
there are other social change perspectives and principles that would
also be helpful (and sometimes necessary) in order for you to reach
certain goals (or realize certain others may be relatively
unobtainable given current circumstances), be the knowledge from
political science, sociology, communications, marketing, religion,
the arts, or from the work of activists who have learned from
practical experience.
Listening to those you are trying to reach
during conversations
For a number of reasons it is important to listen to the views
(and understand the feelings) of those you are hoping will take on
your political perspective or become involved in promoting your
cause. These reasons include the following:
- Listening affirms the people you are speaking to; it
acknowledges they have something legitimate to say, as do
you.
- Really listening to their view on a topic, and the rationale
behind it, makes it more likely they will feel free to explore
their stance.
- Listening makes it more likely they will truly listen to what
you have to say.
- Listening to people allows you to know what they really feel,
and why. This information is relevant to framing your own message
during the discussion or for some later time.
Influencing Attitudes
(though most of the below is relevant to attempts to influence
others' attitudes, it is certainly true that we learn from honest
dialogue with others in which both parties are open to change)
Aspects of the message you present:
- Besides any facts you present, give vivid, dramatic examples
and images supporting your case (thus, e.g., rather than just
giving statistics, focus even more on specific examples/images of
people hurt because of money spent for the military rather than
social services).
- Link your cause with American values of freedom, equality,
individuality, family, fairness, caring, privacy, opportunity,
etc.
- Contrast your position with less favorable
alternatives;judgements are made on a relative scale. And anything
that is scarce is usually seen as more attractive, be it a
commodity in short supply or a proposed policy that can only be
adopted for a limited time.
- Give examples of credible others who support your position
(experts, trustworthy individuals, and those speaking against
their own self interest).
- Create good or bad moods by associating your cause with words,
labels, or ideas that bring about particular emotions (as
President Reagan did when he said that his policies were "in the
tradition of John Kennedy"; or as Central American activists did
when they said that we "didn't want to have another Vietnam in El
Salvador"; or you might do so in framing messages to an audience,
such as "Do you support the constitutional right to ...?). Well
conceived use of symbols/slogans can be powerful.
- If you want to utilize fear in your message, the threat must
seem real, people must feel that they are able to take on the new
behavior or attitude you propose, and they must feel that by doing
so, they can alleviate their fear.
- Repeat important messages over time, but with new twists.
Basing messages around the current opinions of the listener:
- Give incentives as to why it is beneficial for them,
personally, to adopt your position--the topic needs to be made
relevant to their lives. And use the "language" of the audience
you are addressing, framing messages in their terms.
- Be aware that on issues of concern to people, the quality of
your arguments will be most important and the audience will be
motivated to follow those arguments closely. However, those with
only limited concern for the issue (likely the majority of your
audience) will probably not really think through your arguments
until they become relevant, and, until then, more peripheral
factors are sometimes even more important. For example, do you
seem believable and knowledgeable? Do you possess "eyewitness
testimony" on a topic? Are you associated with people your
audience respect and can identify with? Do they see you as similar
to themselves? Do you seem to like the audience? Are you friendly,
appealing, physically attractive?--we are particularly influenced
by those we like. Be aware, however, that such peripherally-based
attitude change is more superficial and less long lasting. When a
topic is of limited concern to people, more arousing and less
rational approaches are, in general, better. Except when dealing
with "true intellectuals", arguments should not be complex.
- Rather then changing someone's current attitude, your chances
are better if you try to form a new opinion, or tie your message
into values the person and surrounding culture already have--thus
do background research if you can. Try to bring out and reinforce
aspects of your audience's views that are consistent with your
perspective. Have some points of agreement, for a message
differing too far from someone's present attitude will likely be
rejected, especially on topics important to the person.
- If you can gain such knowledge, gear your message to the
reason(s) why your audience has the opinion it does on a topic.
What function does the attitude serve for them--can your message
serve the same function? And, very importantly, what general needs
do they have that you might appeal to and further emphasize to
them, while asserting how you can meet those needs if they take on
particular new attitudes (or behaviors)? And perhaps you can
discover what factors or forces help maintain their current
attitude/behavior and how you might counteract that
influence.
- Bring out inconsistencies ("cognitive dissonance") in people's
attitudes/behaviors, particularly as they might relate to their
self image, if you have an option (a new attitude or behavior) for
them consistent with your position that they validly see as a way
out of their inconsistency.
Aspects of the source, the interaction, or the setting:
- An audience which is "active" while taking in your message is
more likely to be affected:
- ask people to really consider your position/arguments for a
moment
- request that listeners at a speech think of ways that
racial harmony might come to the community
- inquire about how a peaceful settlement might be achieved
in a world hot spot
- direct people to imagine how they would feel if they
acquired the new attitude or behavior you propose
- ask rhetorical questions.
- Groups having a minority (non-majority) view on a topic are
more likely to win others over if they are consistent over time
(though, with new twists), and they appear confident in their
views.
- Attempt to affect leaders of groups whose members you want to
influence.
- In conversations, avoid arrogance and judging, and monitor
your and your listener's nonverbals.
Promoting behaviors which will help your
cause
(be it volunteering, voting, practicing environmentally sound
behavior, talking to friends about an issue, going to events, or
giving money)
- It is most important to influence the attitude toward the
particular behavior you desire of people, not just their general
attitude about the political issue involved; e.g., rather than
(just) affecting someone's attitude on preserving the rain forest
and then assuming that a favorable attitude would lead them to
write to Congress or to volunteer time to work on the issue,
direct attempts, even more importantly, to why it is important to
write or to volunteer time.
- Make it as easy as you can for people to take the actions you
desire, with various options having as many incentives and as few
negatives as possible [(e.g., you can limit the time
involvement for volunteers by recruiting many people to each give
only a couple of hours a month, with a very structured task, and
letting them know how their part fits (and is needed) in the total
picture]. Again, there is need to direct efforts to more than
merely establishing the general worthiness of your cause; personal
motivations dictate or influence political behavior, and except
for the truly committed, many people need more incentive than just
hoping to reach a political goal. Specifically relating to
volunteers, there are also a number of ways to make the nature of
their work be more rewarding. Key elements for maintaining
participation include the following:
- giving volunteers responsibility and proper training
- rewarding them in some manner
- utilizing volunteer talents, and
- trying to meet their needs and values by giving them
options for what to work on. Very importantly, for any type
political behavior you wish someone to do, have a system
established so that the person benefits materially or
psychologically after taking that action, be it volunteering,
doing environmentally conscious behavior, giving money, or
otherwise. For some actions, it is good to also give feedback
on how well the person is doing the behavior.
- Emphasize the connection between your work, the desired action
you wish, and their life's concerns (if you know that); the more
important an attitude/issue is in helpers' lives, the more likely
they will act upon it; people do not have time to act on every
issue they have an opinion on.
- Promote the idea that people can do the action you desire--it
is within their power; the more effective people feel, the more
likely they will participate. Convey the idea that your goals are
attainable through their help and the help of people in general.
The goals you set can even be limited in nature, as long as their
attainment helps lead to the final political goal sought. Show,
when possible, that efforts regarding what you desire are already
underway.
- People are more likely to go from a positive attitude on an
issue to an actual behavior if the action is viewed as socially
desirable; i.e., other people would not look unfavorably upon such
a behavior.
- The more an audience thinks about an issue or the more readily
an attitude comes to people's minds, the more likely their
favorable attitude will lead to relevant actions. Thus, besides
other ways of doing so, remind people of their favorable attitude
on an issue.
- Get people to take small actions relevant to an issue--sign a
petition, do an hour of volunteer work, give just a little money,
etc. Doing so makes it more likely they will participate to a
greater extent in the future. And changes in behavior will also
then influence one's attitude even further in the same direction,
leading, sometimes, to further behavioral change (One of the
stronger influencers of attitudes and behavior is previous
behavioral change, in whatever noncoercive way that occurs, and
even in absence of any original attitude change.) People may very
well do something small if they have first had to turn down a
large request.
- A commitment to taking a certain behavior (or setting a goal),
particularly if it is made public, is an especially powerful way
of increasing the likelihood that they will do that behavior later
(be it agreeing to read some material, think about your argument,
or take some small action).
- People are more likely to help on a project if you have helped
them in someway previously.
- Encourage their feeling some responsibility to get involved;
they are helping those in need--both you and those citizens
hurting because of the political situation you are working
on.
- Assert, at times, that they are the kind of people who are
very helpful or like to get involved; they are more likely to
acquire such a self-identity.
- Tell them about or have them see others doing the kinds of
behaviors you wish them do do, especially others who are similar
to themselves.
Depending on your situation, you may wish to
utilize certain of the many ways and modes of getting out your
message
- distribute or post fliers or fact-based postal sized cards in
public places or on windshields
- do letters to the editor or "op eds" for newspapers or
"speakout" editorials on local TV/radio
- seek the window/floor space of a business for displays
- have speakers give talks or show videos/films at service
clubs, churches, schools, etc.
- stage community forums or debates
- hold neighborhood potlucks and informal discussions
- give materials to schools and churches
- perform guerrilla theatre
- paint murals on walls
- have a table/booth in public places (malls, flea markets,
street corners) to distribute literature and have passersby write
letters
- canvass a neighborhood
- prepare pictorial or other displays for libraries, schools,
museums, etc.
- insert cartoons, newsclippings, brief articles in
correspondence
- distribute videos of talks, workshops, conferences
- arrange a political parade or make a float for a parade
- get popular personalities to speak out
- set up political fairs
- hold regular vigils
- list events in community calendars
- conduct a regular Sunday school class
- start a political essay or poetry contest
- stage a political play
- hold a housemeeting and meal to discuss issues with
others
- get a cereal manufacturer to use the back of a box for a
political concern
- walk around a busy street with a political poster on your
chest and back
- put up political signs on lawns and in home windows
- place political stickers on cars, home mailboxes, letters,
etc.
- set up political literature boxes at schools and churches
- get textbook publishers and local libraries to cover a
progressive political agenda
- establish a church political library
- get a church to become involved in particular political
concerns
- get local radio stations to sponsor music- related political
events (concerts, dances, festivals)
- call radio talk shows
- place notices, articles, ads, inserts, classifieds, in church,
club, or school newspapers, newsletters, or "trading post"
publications
- do a billboard or bus shelter display
- get a newspaper to have a progressive political column
- regularly send progressive political materials and ideas to
local media
- get local libraries to have a progressive political display or
book collection
- get a skywriter to do a political message at a big event
- print political messages on cards, mugs, calendars,
scratchpads, stationery, order forms/invoices, business cards,
matchbooks, etc.
- prepare a political public service announcement
- hold press conferences with public figures
- present programs on public access TV
- stage unusual events
- sponsor teams
- utilize electronic mail/bulletin boards/home pages to
organize, get word out to the activist community, or contact
government officials
- call/write elected officials.
Neil Wollman
Department. of Psychology
Manchester College
N. Manchester, IN 46962
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