Persuasive Communication: Source, Message, Audience

Persuasive communication, defined as any message designed to influence people’s attitudes or behaviors, is a core concept in social psychology. It is possible that persuasive communication scholarship would not exist if not for Carl I. Hovland, Irving L. Janis, and Harold H. Kelley’s seminal text Communication and Persuasion, and its theoretical propositions are still being examined today. The approach outlined in that text, which has since informed multiple theories and research programs, suggests a tripartite model, where source, message, and audience features dictate persuasive impact.