Thank you for this article. I research volunteering and want for people to care about this activity. I am a specialist in Human Development and Psychology and you article is clear and to the point. For those of us who are trying to “change the world” the attitudes of others and how to make them care about issues are well taken into consideration here.
Congratulations.
Jacqueline Butcher, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Research and Cicil Society Studies at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City Campus.
Thank you for decoding some major truths about persuasion! We communicators search for ways to trigger response that leads to action. Too often we stumble through the latest fads or buzzwords (e.g. storytelling) without understanding motivation and effectiveness. You have lit a path for us with pragmatic suggestions grounded in psychology.
This piece was most informing, engaging and motivating. Kudos to you both! My background is in non-profit communications, although I now work for a rather large corporation who specializes in motivation, recognition and rewards programs in St. Louis, Missouri. Thank you for such an in-depth analysis. It was not only informational, but also refreshing. Cheers for the “first infographic.” I was also a graphic designer in another life and this was fun. Thank you!
“Researchers have found that people who are more conservative tend to have an individualistic worldview. They value respect for authority, preserving the sacred, and protecting their own group. By contrast, people who are more liberal tend to have an egalitarian worldview and value justice, fairness, and equality.”
I don’t see this research referenced in the article. Could you tell me where this research is from as I would like to reference it in a paper I am working on for school?
This is a fantastic article. Thank you so much for sharing your research and insight into this fascinating topic. I’m a storyteller. My job title, however, says Communications & PR Manager. I work for a large nonprofit. My primary focus is on telling stories about how lives are changed at our organization because of the support of donors. I was very familiar with most of the topics you covered, but you took it a step further and provided me with more details and deeper insights. So for that, thank you. I appreciate your efforts and thank you for sharing this with the world. Blessings!
Brilliantly written and just what I needed to influence my NGO friends and their heartfelt but ineffective comms. Thank you so much for putting in the hard work so we could all benefit.
Very nice article. However, consider how broad “effective communication” is—communicators and scientists should keep in mind the boundary between persuasion and helping individuals make decisions according to their own values. The key difference can be uncovered by asking communicators what they would measure to demonstrate effectiveness. We primarily study whether communications are effective by whether people understand them. Here’s a short piece on persuasion in science communication: https://medium.com/wintoncentre/facts-risks-and-emotions-dc9db134757c
The museum community understood and applied these principles in the 80s. They continue to do so as amply evident in most major and national museums. Moving from training and experience in the art sector to the broader public and private sectors where I have worked for the last ten years, I continue to hold the view that true innovation is seeded in the arts and humanities, followed by the latter sectors some years later. Why these other sectors don’t consider looking to those that have already conducted such studies to acheive the same aim indicates a bias that perhaps is the grounds for its own limits.
Well done! I’m a finance professional and will be adding this to my tool belt as a leader to staff but also as a trainer. I’m also seeing this as a way to provide effective communication about COVID and social distancing. Currently, I feel the world doesn’t get it! Something is missing.
“Researchers have found that people who are more conservative tend to have an individualistic worldview. They value respect for authority, preserving the sacred, and protecting their own group. By contrast, people who are more liberal tend to have an egalitarian worldview and value justice, fairness, and equality.”
I believe all three valued attributes given to each sides are synonymous with each other.
This is a great article. I agree that people do indeed respond to a well told story.
I had some real issues about this piece. These days I’m an English professor at a community college. But back in the 80s and 90s, while I was in college at the University of Pennsylvania, I worked for one of the groups that the authors talk about: Greenpeace.
I think that there’s a fundamental misunderstanding here about the kinds of actions that Greenpeace took in those days. The authors claim that Greenpeace activists were angry and used that anger to chain themselves to trees. That’s a complete misreading of what direct action was about. Greenpeace activists chained themselves to redwood trees that were about to be cut down. They put their bodies in harm’s way to protect other living organisms. It was an effective technique and it comes out of both King’s and Gandhi’s work. This wasn’t about raising dollars or being friendly; it was about saving things from industrial destruction. In addition Greenpeace activists in Zodiac rafts placed their bodies between harpoon guns and whales. And activists also—and I remember these actions—would sail ships into nuclear weapons testing zones and play chicken with the French government, often successfully getting it to back down from setting off underwater nuclear weapons. These were true heroes.
One of the founders of Greenpeace, Paul Watson, splintered from the group and formed Sea Shepherd. He would try to directly enforce international whaling bans by invoking international law at sea and declaring his intention to ram whaling ships in violation of international law. This is a bold and brave move, not one that is very well understood by the authors.
There are many other problems here as well. The use of the diagrams in England to help end slavery is true as far as it goes. The trouble is that slavery never really worked very well in England because the nation was industrializing and needed skilled technicians, not slaves. The practice was on its way out anyway, and any little push would have ended it.
In the Southern US, which wasn’t industrialized and which had giant agricultural plantations, slavery was an economic engine.People were not going to give up slave-produced wealth without a fight. In this country, Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s cabin didn’t end slavery but it crystalized northern Abolitionist sentiment already there and gave the Civil War an ideological bent. As Lincoln said to Stowe: "You’re the little lady who caused this big war." My point is that it took a bloody war to end slavery in this country. Smiley faces didn’t do the trick.
Finally, there seems to be, on the parts of the authors, some real naivete about global warming. This issue is not going to be solved by individuals reducing their driving or feeling guilty about not doing so. What’s going to have to happen is a complete top down reorganization of society: Mass transit, much more compact urban living arrangements. The question, of course, in the light of the pandemic, is whether we will have the political will to make these changes. I don’t think we will.
It sure was nice that you pointed out that people are attached to things that could provide pleasant emotions and helping could likely cause people to act positively. This reminded me of the act of helping who are in need, especially those who would need 24/7 homeless shelter. I could imagine how positive emotions encourage more people to give and help.
Thank you so much for the extremely insightful article. As a filmmaker who is interested in many causes including social movement, I found there are so many infos that are extremely inspiring and relating to my causes. Indeed, communication strategies does matter. Because in this chaotic world, there are so many people who are ‘brick walls’ and extremely difficult to pursue or even letting them know about the different perspectives from what they are having. But using communication strategy such as storytelling to make people care is extremely helpful for leaders and social activist out there to create better impact for their causes.
I totally agree with what you said that people who have strong advocacies on certain issues have a way to convince you to follow their cause. Me and my wife are a normal married couple who work eight hours a day, and take care of our children when we get off from work. However, last night, we talked how good it is if we’re going to be part of a change. So, right now we’re looking for excellent donation programs that focuses their funds on child education. This way, we’ll be able to help children and families in the minority.
COMMENTS
BY Jacqueline Butcher, Ph. D.
ON August 16, 2018 07:13 PM
Thank you for this article. I research volunteering and want for people to care about this activity. I am a specialist in Human Development and Psychology and you article is clear and to the point. For those of us who are trying to “change the world” the attitudes of others and how to make them care about issues are well taken into consideration here.
Congratulations.
Jacqueline Butcher, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Research and Cicil Society Studies at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City Campus.
BY Kenny A Chaffin
ON August 18, 2018 09:49 AM
Fascinating an article about Effective Communication that can’t seem to get to the point. Hmmmm…
BY Phoebe Barnard (PhD)
ON August 21, 2018 07:26 PM
Beautiful. Concise. Lyrical. Thank you!
BY Janet
ON August 22, 2018 06:16 PM
Thank you for decoding some major truths about persuasion! We communicators search for ways to trigger response that leads to action. Too often we stumble through the latest fads or buzzwords (e.g. storytelling) without understanding motivation and effectiveness. You have lit a path for us with pragmatic suggestions grounded in psychology.
BY Jessi Brawley
ON August 24, 2018 12:16 PM
This piece was most informing, engaging and motivating. Kudos to you both! My background is in non-profit communications, although I now work for a rather large corporation who specializes in motivation, recognition and rewards programs in St. Louis, Missouri. Thank you for such an in-depth analysis. It was not only informational, but also refreshing. Cheers for the “first infographic.” I was also a graphic designer in another life and this was fun. Thank you!
BY Tracy
ON September 25, 2018 11:02 AM
“Researchers have found that people who are more conservative tend to have an individualistic worldview. They value respect for authority, preserving the sacred, and protecting their own group. By contrast, people who are more liberal tend to have an egalitarian worldview and value justice, fairness, and equality.”
I don’t see this research referenced in the article. Could you tell me where this research is from as I would like to reference it in a paper I am working on for school?
BY Michelle Sanders Brinson
ON September 28, 2018 07:12 AM
This is a fantastic article. Thank you so much for sharing your research and insight into this fascinating topic. I’m a storyteller. My job title, however, says Communications & PR Manager. I work for a large nonprofit. My primary focus is on telling stories about how lives are changed at our organization because of the support of donors. I was very familiar with most of the topics you covered, but you took it a step further and provided me with more details and deeper insights. So for that, thank you. I appreciate your efforts and thank you for sharing this with the world. Blessings!
BY Gilbert Kruidenier
ON September 28, 2018 12:23 PM
Brilliantly written and just what I needed to influence my NGO friends and their heartfelt but ineffective comms. Thank you so much for putting in the hard work so we could all benefit.
BY Gilbert
ON October 11, 2018 05:01 PM
Amazing piece.
BY Cameron Brick
ON November 1, 2018 09:38 AM
Very nice article. However, consider how broad “effective communication” is—communicators and scientists should keep in mind the boundary between persuasion and helping individuals make decisions according to their own values. The key difference can be uncovered by asking communicators what they would measure to demonstrate effectiveness. We primarily study whether communications are effective by whether people understand them. Here’s a short piece on persuasion in science communication: https://medium.com/wintoncentre/facts-risks-and-emotions-dc9db134757c
BY Liz
ON January 25, 2019 12:27 PM
The museum community understood and applied these principles in the 80s. They continue to do so as amply evident in most major and national museums. Moving from training and experience in the art sector to the broader public and private sectors where I have worked for the last ten years, I continue to hold the view that true innovation is seeded in the arts and humanities, followed by the latter sectors some years later. Why these other sectors don’t consider looking to those that have already conducted such studies to acheive the same aim indicates a bias that perhaps is the grounds for its own limits.
BY Mayank Gupta
ON March 30, 2020 12:27 AM
Well done! I’m a finance professional and will be adding this to my tool belt as a leader to staff but also as a trainer. I’m also seeing this as a way to provide effective communication about COVID and social distancing. Currently, I feel the world doesn’t get it! Something is missing.
BY Tami Richards
ON November 14, 2020 08:14 AM
“Researchers have found that people who are more conservative tend to have an individualistic worldview. They value respect for authority, preserving the sacred, and protecting their own group. By contrast, people who are more liberal tend to have an egalitarian worldview and value justice, fairness, and equality.”
I believe all three valued attributes given to each sides are synonymous with each other.
This is a great article. I agree that people do indeed respond to a well told story.
BY John
ON July 22, 2021 06:30 AM
Very Enlightful Read. Thanks for sharing. Really helped me feel good in this covid era.
BY Douglas Texter
ON August 9, 2021 07:39 AM
I had some real issues about this piece. These days I’m an English professor at a community college. But back in the 80s and 90s, while I was in college at the University of Pennsylvania, I worked for one of the groups that the authors talk about: Greenpeace.
I think that there’s a fundamental misunderstanding here about the kinds of actions that Greenpeace took in those days. The authors claim that Greenpeace activists were angry and used that anger to chain themselves to trees. That’s a complete misreading of what direct action was about. Greenpeace activists chained themselves to redwood trees that were about to be cut down. They put their bodies in harm’s way to protect other living organisms. It was an effective technique and it comes out of both King’s and Gandhi’s work. This wasn’t about raising dollars or being friendly; it was about saving things from industrial destruction. In addition Greenpeace activists in Zodiac rafts placed their bodies between harpoon guns and whales. And activists also—and I remember these actions—would sail ships into nuclear weapons testing zones and play chicken with the French government, often successfully getting it to back down from setting off underwater nuclear weapons. These were true heroes.
One of the founders of Greenpeace, Paul Watson, splintered from the group and formed Sea Shepherd. He would try to directly enforce international whaling bans by invoking international law at sea and declaring his intention to ram whaling ships in violation of international law. This is a bold and brave move, not one that is very well understood by the authors.
There are many other problems here as well. The use of the diagrams in England to help end slavery is true as far as it goes. The trouble is that slavery never really worked very well in England because the nation was industrializing and needed skilled technicians, not slaves. The practice was on its way out anyway, and any little push would have ended it.
In the Southern US, which wasn’t industrialized and which had giant agricultural plantations, slavery was an economic engine.People were not going to give up slave-produced wealth without a fight. In this country, Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s cabin didn’t end slavery but it crystalized northern Abolitionist sentiment already there and gave the Civil War an ideological bent. As Lincoln said to Stowe: "You’re the little lady who caused this big war." My point is that it took a bloody war to end slavery in this country. Smiley faces didn’t do the trick.
Finally, there seems to be, on the parts of the authors, some real naivete about global warming. This issue is not going to be solved by individuals reducing their driving or feeling guilty about not doing so. What’s going to have to happen is a complete top down reorganization of society: Mass transit, much more compact urban living arrangements. The question, of course, in the light of the pandemic, is whether we will have the political will to make these changes. I don’t think we will.
BY Byron Conner
ON September 6, 2021 01:43 PM
This post was truly worthwhile to read. I wanted to say thank you for the key points you have pointed out as they are enlightening.
BY Shammy P
ON October 30, 2021 02:35 AM
It sure was nice that you pointed out that people are attached to things that could provide pleasant emotions and helping could likely cause people to act positively. This reminded me of the act of helping who are in need, especially those who would need 24/7 homeless shelter. I could imagine how positive emotions encourage more people to give and help.
BY Gabriella Hanna
ON December 2, 2021 10:55 PM
Thank you so much for the extremely insightful article. As a filmmaker who is interested in many causes including social movement, I found there are so many infos that are extremely inspiring and relating to my causes. Indeed, communication strategies does matter. Because in this chaotic world, there are so many people who are ‘brick walls’ and extremely difficult to pursue or even letting them know about the different perspectives from what they are having. But using communication strategy such as storytelling to make people care is extremely helpful for leaders and social activist out there to create better impact for their causes.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
BY Luke Smith
ON January 16, 2022 11:14 PM
I totally agree with what you said that people who have strong advocacies on certain issues have a way to convince you to follow their cause. Me and my wife are a normal married couple who work eight hours a day, and take care of our children when we get off from work. However, last night, we talked how good it is if we’re going to be part of a change. So, right now we’re looking for excellent donation programs that focuses their funds on child education. This way, we’ll be able to help children and families in the minority.