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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 3 page paper examines humor as used in persuasion. Theories are discussed. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: RG13_SA01137hum.doc
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
use of a commercial, rely on humor. Politicians often use this tactic. It is one way of trying to engage the audience. The idea is that if the people are
laughing, and relaxed, they are more likely to see an individuals point of view. In fact, many in the advertising industry believe that humor is an effective tool, and about
42% (Markiewicz, 1974, 407) of television commercials infuse humor in their advertisements. That said, research into whether or not humor is effective in persuasion is questionable (Markiewicz, 1974). In fact,
much of the research on this topic has hardly been significant (Markiewicz, 1974). There is probably a reason why no conclusions can be reached on this topic. Humor does lighten
mood, but nothing indicates that a listener will like a source or product being advertised (Martin, 2007). In other words, while the viewer may enjoy a funny television commercial, the
humorous element may not necessarily be persuasive. It could just be enjoyable. There are several theories of persuasion that might help in the analysis. Dissonance theory, for example, is attached
to the relationship between an individuals cognition and his actions (Nabi & Oliver, 2009). An example of this is that a smoker has two different cognitions, which may
include the idea that he smokes, as well as the idea that smoking leads to cancer (Nabi & Oliver, 2009). There are two distinct thoughts. Dissonance theory suggests that people
like to hear information that is consistent with their beliefs rather than those that antagonize their beliefs (Nabi & Oliver, 2009). Other theories are aligned with a focus on voluntary
action (Nabi & Oliver, 2009). That is, there are attempts made to influence people to make choices when their actions are voluntary (Nabi & Oliver, 2009). Nabi & Oliver (2009)
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