Pathways of persuasion

Lucas Coffman and Paul Niehaus
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: D'Maris D. Coffman ()

Games and Economic Behavior, 2020, vol. 124, issue C, 239-253

Abstract: While economic theories of persuasion emphasize the role of self-interest, others emphasize other-regard. To study these pathways, we introduce a simple experimental framework where sellers use free-form conversation to convince buyers to raise their valuations for objects. We find sellers more frequently target buyers' self-interest, and changes in self-interest explain more variation in persuasion overall. Additionally, sellers' gains along one pathway come at a considerable cost along the other. However, when sellers target other-regard, they are at their most persuasive.

Keywords: Experiments; Behavioral; Persuasion; Other regard (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C90 C92 D03 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:124:y:2020:i:c:p:239-253

DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2020.08.008

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