Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Persuasive Communication

Persuasive Communication
3
16264
1
First semester
OB
Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,

Teaching staff


Dr. PERELLÓ SOBREPERE, Marc - mperello@uic.es

Students can arrange a tutorial or contact the professor via email at mperello@uic.es

Introduction

Persuasion is the intentional use of communication to influence people’s attitudes, perceptions and behaviours. It is an essential dimension of communication and is present in speeches, media, advertising, politics, social media and the audiovisual content we consume every day.

This course introduces students to the main mechanisms of persuasive communication through the study of the communicator, the receiver and the message. It also examines how rhetoric, stories, images, sound and audiovisual media can influence the interpretation of reality, with particular attention to propaganda, film, television, documentary and true crime. The course combines theoretical foundations with case analysis and the persuasive presentation of ideas.

Pre-course requirements

No. 

Objectives

  1. Understanding the basics of persuasive communication.

  2. Mastering the construction of intentional messages

  3. Incorporating persuasion in the different areas of communication.

  4. Adaptating persuasive contents according to the audiences we are addressing

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 06 - The ability to develop academic rigour, responsibility, ethics and professionalism
  • 08 - The ability of critical analysis, synthesis, concretion and abstraction
  • 11 - The ability to generate debate and reflection
  • 13 - The ability to create spoken and written communication
  • 14 - Knowledge and mastery of rhetoric and oratory to communicate own ideas
  • 15 - Knowledge and mastery of body language and techniques for public speaking
  • 16 - The ability to manage, analysis and reflect on content
  • 25 - The ability to maximize creative development
  • 35 - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze the products of the audiovisual industry
  • 45 - The ability to know and dominate the techniques of audiovisual narrative.

Learning outcomes of the subject

  1. Understand the basic principles of persuasion and distinguish between information, communication, influence, persuasion and manipulation.

  2. Identify the factors related to the communicator, the receiver and the message that shape the effectiveness of persuasive communication.

  3. Analyse and construct persuasive arguments and discourse by applying basic principles of rhetoric and argumentation.

  4. Critically analyse the persuasive use of narratives, audiovisual resources and media in the representation and interpretation of reality.

  5. Present and defend ideas clearly, coherently, professionally and persuasively, applying ethical criteria to the use of communication.

Syllabus

  • Topic 1. Persuasion, Influence and Manipulation
  • Topic 2. The Communicator: Credibility, Authority, Trust and Reputation
  • Topic 3. The Receiver: Attitudes, Emotions, Motivations, Biases and Resistance
  • Topic 4. Rhetoric and Argumentation: Ethos, Pathos, Logos and Fallacies
  • Topic 5. Storytelling and Persuasion through Stories
  • Topic 6. Audiovisual Persuasion: Image, Sound, Music and Editing
  • Topic 7. Propaganda, Mass Communication and Media
  • Topic 8. Film, Television and the Construction of Reality
  • Topic 9. True Crime, Documentary and the Persuasion of Reality
  • Topic 10. Pitching and Persuasive Presentation of Ideas

Teaching and learning activities

In person



  • Lectures — students are encouraged to take notes to assimilate key concepts, ask questions and prepare for class discussions and activities.
  • Practical activities — application of course content through exercises, case analysis, analysis of persuasive messages, debates and activities related to communication and audiovisual content.
  • Class participation — participation in discussions, debates and activities, active listening, argumentation skills and constructive feedback provided to classmates and the professor will be assessed.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



1. Class Participation and Activities — 10%

Active participation in class discussions, debates, exercises and case analyses will be assessed, together with argumentation skills, active listening and critical reflection.

2. Individual Assignment — Persuasion Analysis — 40%

Each student will select an audiovisual piece or excerpt with a persuasive intention —such as advertising, social media content, film, television, documentary, true crime, political communication or another format— and analyse how it attempts to influence the audience.

The analysis should consider aspects such as the objective of the message, the communicator, the receiver, arguments, emotions and the main persuasive and audiovisual resources employed. It should also include a critical reflection on its effectiveness and possible ethical implications.

The assignment must be uploaded to the virtual campus and presented orally in class. Both the quality of the analysis and the student’s ability to present it clearly, coherently and persuasively will be assessed.

3. Group Assignment — Audiovisual Persuasion Project — 50%

Working in groups, students will create an audiovisual piece with a clear persuasive intention, designed to influence a specific perception, attitude or behaviour among a defined audience.

The piece may take different forms, including fiction, social video, documentary, teaser, trailer, institutional content, awareness-raising content or entertainment, among other possibilities.

Before developing the piece, students must define and justify:

  • what they want the audience to think, feel or do;

  • who their target audience is;

  • which persuasive strategy they will use;

  • which narrative and audiovisual resources they will apply;

  • why they believe their proposal can be effective.

The project must be uploaded to the virtual campus and presented and defended orally in class. The defence will carry significant weight within the grade: students will be expected to explain and justify their decisions and persuade the audience of the effectiveness of their proposal.

Important
  • To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum final grade of 5 out of 10.
  • All assessed assignments must be uploaded to the virtual campus and presented in class within the established deadlines.
  • Students who fail the first assessment period will be required to complete a final reassessment assignment, which will account for 100% of the grade in the second assessment period.
  • Students who do not pass the second assessment period will be required to retake the course.

Bibliography and resources

Alphabetical Order

  1. Aristóteles (2014). Retórica. Alianza Editorial.

  2. Casetti, F., & Di Chio, F. (2007). Cómo analizar un film. Paidós.

  3. Chion, M. (1993). La audiovisión: Introducción a un análisis conjunto de la imagen y el sonido. Paidós.

  4. Cialdini, R. B. (2022). Influencia: La psicología de la persuasión. HarperCollins Ibérica.

  5. Lakoff, G. (2017). No pienses en un elefante: Lenguaje y debate político. Península.

  6. León, J. L. (2008). Persuasión pública. Servicio Editorial de la Universidad del País Vasco.

  7. Perloff, R. M. (2023). The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and Attitudes in the 21st Century (8th ed.). Routledge.

  8. Pratkanis, A. R., & Aronson, E. (1994). La era de la propaganda: Uso y abuso de la persuasión. Paidós.

  9. Salmon, C. (2008). Storytelling: La máquina de fabricar historias y formatear las mentes. Península.

  10. Weston, A. (2021). Las claves de la argumentación. Ariel.

Additional academic articles, audiovisual excerpts, case studies and other complementary resources will be provided throughout the course.

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