A practitioner's guide to persuasion: an overview of 15 selected persuasion theories, models and frameworks.
OBJECTIVE
To provide a brief overview of 15 selected persuasion theories and models, and to present examples of their use in health communication research.


RESULTS
The theories are categorized as message effects models, attitude-behavior approaches, cognitive processing theories and models, consistency theories, inoculation theory, and functional approaches.


CONCLUSIONS
As it is often the intent of a practitioner to shape, reinforce, or change a patient's behavior, familiarity with theories of persuasion may lead to the development of novel communication approaches with existing patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This article serves as an introductory primer to theories of persuasion with applications to health communication research. Understanding key constructs and general formulations of persuasive theories may allow practitioners to employ useful theoretical frameworks when interacting with patients.
Cameron
Kenzie A
KA
Division of General Internal Medicine and Center for Communication in Healthcare at the Institute for Healthcare Studies, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. k-cameron@northwestern.edu
D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D005239:Fear; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017145:Models, Educational; D008960:Models, Psychological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011588:Psychology, Educational; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012660:Semantics