Podcast Summary
Moral foundations of persuasion: Understanding and appealing to the moral foundations of the person you're trying to persuade is more effective than assuming your own moral convictions are universal. Adapt arguments to their moral grounds for greater persuasive power.
Effective persuasion involves understanding and appealing to the moral foundations of the person you're trying to persuade, rather than assuming your own moral convictions are universal. According to research, political differences are often fueled by different moral stories and concerns, and attempts to persuade people based on our own moral codes are less effective than making arguments on their moral grounds. For instance, when trying to persuade conservatives on the topic of immigration, appealing to their values of the American dream, family needs, and work shortages might be more persuasive than focusing on progressive values of justice and equality. However, recent research suggests that political persuasion is more common than assumed, and people do change their minds based on new facts and frameworks. Therefore, it's essential to recognize that while people's moral foundations may be fixed, they are still open to learning and considering new information.
New information about lesser-known candidates: Focusing on introducing new information about lesser-known candidates is more persuasive than attacking opponents, especially during election season
Attacking an opponent is not the most effective strategy for political persuasion, especially when the opponent is well-known like Donald Trump. Instead, focusing on introducing new information about lesser-known candidates, like Kamala Harris, can be more persuasive. According to political scientist David Brockman, people are more likely to be persuaded by messages about things they know less about. As people become more familiar with a candidate or issue, the persuasive power of campaigns decreases. Therefore, it's crucial for campaigns to effectively communicate new information to voters, especially as the election approaches.
Persuading undecided voters in a general election: Focusing on a candidate's moderation in a general election involves more than avoiding extreme positions or unpopular issues. Candidates should aim to build a broad coalition of supporters by agreeing with voters on as many issues as possible to appeal to undecided voters and insulate themselves from attacks.
When trying to persuade undecided voters in a general election like the 2024 presidential race, focusing on a candidate's moderation may be effective. However, this approach should not be limited to avoiding extreme positions or avoiding taking stands on unpopular issues. Instead, it's essential to consider how voters think about issues and their overall perception of a candidate. Swing voters, who are less ideological than decided voters, are more likely to focus on how many issues they agree with a candidate on rather than their ideological label. Therefore, taking a centrist position on one issue may not necessarily signal moderation on other issues to swing voters. Instead, candidates should aim to build a broad coalition of supporters by agreeing with voters on as many issues as possible. This approach can help insulate them from attacks and increase their appeal to undecided voters.
Effectiveness of political labels: Political labels may not be effective in persuading persuadable voters due to their lack of political knowledge and ideological inclination, and specific messages might be more successful.
People's perspectives on politics and candidates are shaped by various binaries, such as left versus right, moderate versus radical, and weird versus normal. However, the effectiveness of these labels in influencing the opinions of persuadable voters is questionable. These voters may not be well-versed in politics or ideologically inclined, making it challenging for them to connect the dots between political labels and specific policies or messages. Moreover, political commentators, who are often the ones providing advice, might not be the best judges of what resonates with these voters due to their ideological leanings and deeper engagement with politics. Instead, specific and less vacuous messages may be more effective in persuading these voters.
Fox News viewers: Exposing Fox News viewers to CNN for a month led to some changes in their knowledge and views without causing a backlash, demonstrating that people's opinions can shift.
While many people may not be deeply engaged with politics and may not have well-informed opinions on key issues, it is not entirely true that people never change their minds or that attempts to persuade them are futile. A study conducted during the 2020 election found that exposing conservative Fox News viewers to CNN for a month led to some meaningful changes in their knowledge and views, without causing a backlash. However, these effects are typically small, and in close elections, even small shifts in opinion can make a difference. Ultimately, effective persuasion requires understanding the complexities of human behavior and the nuances of communication, rather than relying on simplistic tricks or extreme views.
News bias: Exposure to biased news sources, like Fox News, can alter one's perception and understanding of political issues, but these effects are not permanent.
Exposure to biased news sources, even unintentionally, can significantly impact one's perception and understanding of political issues. The study suggests that Fox News, in particular, can persuade viewers to form new theories about politics through subtle learning, even for those who don't identify as regular viewers. The research indicates that viewers exposed to Fox News in the study learned new facts and formed opinions that differed from those who only watched CNN. However, these effects were not permanent, as viewers eventually returned to their original news sources. Overall, the study highlights the power of news media in shaping public opinion and the importance of being aware of potential biases.
Political Persuasion Long-term: The impact of persuasive messages can decay rapidly over time, requiring ongoing reinforcement and research to understand the complex and evolving nature of political persuasion
While people may change their minds on certain issues, the impact of persuasive messages can decay rapidly over time. This means that political campaigns and commentators need to focus not only on persuading voters in the short term but also on reinforcing their messages over the long term. Contrary to the belief that there is a fixed set of known truths about how people change their minds, the science of political persuasion is complex and constantly evolving. While there may be some consistent findings, the effectiveness of persuasive messages can depend on various contextual factors, such as the specific issue, the audience, and the messenger. Therefore, it's essential to continue researching and refining our understanding of political persuasion rather than relying on a set of fixed rules or commandments.
Political persuasion: Political persuasion is an infinite game that requires continuous strategy adaptation as it's influenced by various factors and responses from opposing parties.
While voter turnout can be approached as a solvable game, political persuasion is an infinite game that will never be fully solved. The strategies for persuading voters are constantly evolving and dynamic, as they are influenced by various factors and the responses of opposing parties. The analogy of asking economists about stock picks or football strategies illustrates this point. Persuasion is a zero-sum game in politics, and both parties are always adjusting their strategies based on the previous election. Therefore, it's essential to adopt a meta strategy of continuously figuring out what is persuasive in any given moment. A recent study conducted by Swable, in collaboration with several researchers, including Luke Hewitt, Ben Tappen, and Alex Copic, provides insights into testing ad effectiveness and adapting strategies accordingly.
Political ad effectiveness and context: Political ads' effectiveness depends on context and audience values, requiring campaigns to gather data and adapt strategies accordingly, rather than relying on outdated methods or moral foundations theory as a one-size-fits-all solution.
The effectiveness of political ads and messaging in persuasion is not consistent and depends on the context of the time. Research on Democratic campaign ads from 2018 and 2020 showed that ads focusing on issues were effective in 2018 but less so in 2020. Therefore, it's crucial for politicians and campaigns to gather data and adapt to changing contexts, rather than relying on outdated strategies. Moral foundations theory, which suggests that people are not persuaded but rather have their existing beliefs validated, may not be a one-size-fits-all solution for political persuasion. Instead, understanding the specific context and the audience's values is key to effective messaging. The frontier of political campaigns lies in building systems that can adapt to the ever-changing electorate and voter needs.
Moral foundations theory limitations: Moral foundations theory is valuable, but not a definitive solution for understanding moral reasoning and social issues; historical analogies and other approaches can also provide insight.
While moral foundations theory is a valuable framework for understanding moral reasoning, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Social sciences, unlike physics, don't have definitive laws that apply to every person and context. Moral foundations theory can be useful in explaining certain phenomena, but it's not the only way to persuade or understand people. Historical analogies can also provide insight, but they shouldn't be slavishly followed. The key is to find a healthy middle ground and use a variety of tools to understand complex social issues. In politics, for example, a campaign might use moral foundations theory to reach some voters, but also employ other strategies to appeal to others. Ultimately, no single theory or approach can explain everything, but a nuanced and thoughtful application of multiple perspectives can lead to a deeper understanding of the world.