Persuasion, Manipulation, & Seduction

Much of human communication involves attempts to influence. It is done verbally and non-verbally; consciously and unconsciously; honestly and deceitfully. Some people may be swayed with reason and logic or by emotions and character. There is no doubt that the power to persuade is a coveted tool for anyone regardless of how they wish to use it. However, beyond simple persuasion are other acts of influence that are just as powerful. The three terms, persuasion, manipulation, and seduction are sometimes used interchangeable when describing influential behavior. However, there are subtle and blatant differences between the three concepts. While using anyone of these methods could yield the same result for an influencer, there are clear differences in the way they are done.

Persuasion

Persuasion is the act of influencing others, who are conscious of the intent, through communication. That is they are conscious that attempted influencing is taking place. Also it is under the assumed umbrella of free will meaning that there is no form of duress or outside pressure involved that would force influence. Persuasion is an honest approach to influence in the context that there is an acknowledgment of attempt.

Manipulation

While persuasion is an act that takes place between at least two conscious parties, manipulation happens when the side being influenced is not aware of it. Our brain is setup to learn a vast amount of normalcy in life which can be executed unconsciously. There are certain stereotypes, frames, and schemes encoded in humans that make up their cultural programming (Codoban, 2006). That is a human is programmed over time to execute everyday decisions mindlessly based on the expected behavior of themselves and others. Manipulation takes place when a conscious person triggers an automatic response from an unconscious thinker.

Seduction

The art of seduction, as it is often described, is a kin to persuasion as its intent to influence is known. What sets it apart, however, is the influencer (seducer) is setup to be the object of desire that will complete the missing parts of audience so that they may be complete (Codoban, 2006). Seduction is also a kin to manipulation as is draws upon social programming and natural responses of people. As the term is used mostly in the relationships of a man and a woman (or sexual preference), there are many programmed and natural responses that take place when a seducer successfully makes themselves the object of another’s desire.

Sometimes the lines may be blurred when influencing takes place. There are definite moral stigmas attached to each of these influencing techniques. While persuasion has a broad connotation of simple attempts of influence to any or all audiences, manipulation and seduction have specific undertones of being immoral. While manipulation has the power to be an effective technique for wrong doing, it also happens every day when a parent tricks their child into acting or thinking in the right manner. And while seduction can build sexual relationships based on false intentions, at its core it may just be a desire to be desired by someone. It is important to realize that a lot of our constant communication is spent influencing others or being influenced by others. The choice is yours of how open you are to different influences and how you choose to influence others.

References
Codoban, A. (2006). From persuasion to manipulation and seduction. JSRI. 14(151 to 158). Retrieved July 29, 2009, from http://www.jsri.ro/new/?download=jsri_14_articol_14_aurel_codoban.pdf

Matching Personal Identity with Organizational Identity

In terms of core beliefs, values, and other descriptions of a person’s character; it is important for an individual’s identity to match with their organization's identity. This is the case because part of working within in an organization is taking on their beliefs and practices. If a company does business in an unethical way, then you will be part of an unethical identity and there is a chance you will also take part in unethical acts. If this conflicts with your own identity, then you may experience an identity crisis. The more you act in a way different from your own perceived character, the lower your self-worth will become. This is because you are not living up to the identity you see yourself as. As your self-worth or self-esteem lowers, communication may as well. You may begin to resent your job or the other workers there and your job performance may slip as a result. Ethics are always a “hot-button” topic but more subtle identity differences could just as easily affect a person. For instance, if your identity values being heard and part of the decision making process and you work in company with a very autocratic leadership; then you will face a similar identity crisis.

I had an experience where my personal identity clashed with the organization I was working for. One summer I worked in a telemarketing office attempting to solicit sales appointments for a home meat delivery company. I had a feeling going in that I would not like the company’s business practices but I just needed a summer job. A huge part of my identity is respecting other people’s privacy and their rights to be left alone. Quickly the job began to drain me because I would get yelled at for not keeping people on the line longer and pestering them into an appointment. My job performance was not good at all because I did not believe in what I was doing. It would be one thing if I even believed in the product, but I kept hearing countless stories about how much of a scam the actual service was. I already hated bothering people that did not ask for it and then I certainly did not feel comfortable essentially lying to them about how great the product was. I did not last long at the job because I eventually quit. I was having an identity crisis and I was scared that if I continued to work there long enough my self-worth would just continue to drop.

The lessons I learned from my short stint in the telemarketing business have shaped the way I sought after jobs since and will continue to in the future. I have a high opinion of myself and the core beliefs, attitudes, etc. that make up my identity. It is not so much that I need to show others the strength of my character; rather I need to prove it to myself. I am my own worst critic and I am the one that has to live with myself day to day, minute by minute. If I feel that I am not living up to the identity in my personal or professional life, I am the one that gives the constant reminder. In terms of maintaining a high self-esteem and a high self-worth, I need to partake in actions that fall in line with the standards of my identity. I am not perfect by any stretch but I live with the shame of my mistakes everyday just as I live with the satisfaction of my triumphs.