Influence
Influence
There are scenarios in our life when you feel that you need to stand up for a cause. I experienced such an opportunity last year when I felt I needed to do everything to persuade my near and dear ones to maintain to avoid junk food. The age of the internet has clearly provided us with an opportunity to better understand how we need to avoid junk food and maintain a healthy diet. After due consideration of all the health benefits from avoiding junk food, it was easy to get my father on board to change is food preferences and eat healthy home cooked meals. I am glad he looked into the advantages and changed his diet, I am confident my intervention will help in prolonging his life.
Tactics Used for Convincing
Reciprocation
One of the first tactics I used in convincing my father to choose healthy home cooked meals over his preference of burgers, pizzas, etc. was reciprocation (Cialdini, 2009). I used reciprocation and explained to my father than his body does not need high cholesterol food at his age and he needs to cut back. I explained to him that it was his time to give his body some much needed rest from the unconventional diet he had maintained over the years and change his eating habits (Park, 2014). The strategy focused on explaining to my father than he needs to better care of himself to survive longer and his body needs better fuel for its survival.
Social Proof
Another tactic I used to convince my father about changing his food habits was social proof (Cialdini, 2009). I informed my father that other people his age are very concerned about their diets and it was high time that he also joined the bandwagon in taking care of their diet. The tactic worked out as my father saw that people his age ate healthy as they had the desire to live longer and the junk food diet was clearly harmful to his long term health (Ahmed, 2010). I used social proof and applied to his subconscious to make him aware about the need to make a healthy change to his lifestyle.
Liking
Another tactic I used was the likability of the healthy diet of green vegetables, fruits, etc. and how people of all ages are changing their diet to live a healthy life (Cialdini, 2009). I informed my father that while junk food can be delicious and convenient, it does come with its side effects and my father was already feeling it with his obesity and other health issues (Fuller, 2016). By displaying to my father that people of all ages have started to develop a strong liking for maintaining a healthy diet, I managed to convince my father that he needed to make the change as soon as possible.
Authority
Finally, my father was sold by the final tactic I used to convince him about eating healthy (Cialdini, 2009). I informed him about how many of his favourite celebrities his age were keeping themselves fit, by amending their diet and deliberately selecting a fresh home cooked meals food over junk food. I also gave my father a lecture by several doctors how people over the age of 50 years need to take greater control of their diet and need essential nutrition in food to live a longer, healthier life (Esposito, 2015). Such authoritative sources made my father realize the grave mistake he was making in eating junk food regularly and he switched his diet after the discussion.
Reasons for Effectiveness
The tactic of reciprocation helped in making a personal connection with my father felt that my concern for his health was serious, and changing the diet was his best option to prolong his life and improve his health. The tactic of social proof turned out to be useful as my father evidence that could help him relate with other people his age who were making a conscious choice of making changes to their diet. The tactic of using healthy food’s increasing likability added value to the argument as my father understood the force behind my passion, as even young people were given greater attention to their diet. Finally, the tactic of authority managed to sell my father on the need to make changes as I told him about the advice of doctors about eating healthy food in older age.
Conclusion
Last year, after learning about my father’s poor health and increasing weight, I decided to intervene and explain to him that he needed to change his unhealthy diet. After getting influenced by people and medical practitioners who vehemently supported consumption of a healthy diet, I decided that my father needed to learn more about the issue. I used several persuasion tactics such as reciprocation, social proof, authority and liking to convince my father about changing his preference for junk food and deliberately change it home cooked meals. The combination of these tactics helped me to convince my father that he needed to make a change for living a healthier life.
References
Ahmed, T. & Haboubi, N. (2010). Assessment and management of nutrition in older people and its importance to health. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 5, 207-216. doi:10.2147/cia.s9664
Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. New York, NY: HarperCollins e-books.
Esposito., L. (2015, 21 Janaury). Best Diets for Seniors. Retrieved 22 January 2017 from, http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2015/01/21/best-diets-for-seniors
Fuller., T. (2016, 23 November). In a California Valley, Healthy Food Everywhere but on the Table. Retrieved 22 January 2017 from, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/23/us/in-a-california-valley-healthy-food-everywhere-but-on-the-table.html?_r=0
Park., A (2014, 2 December). This Diet Has Been Linked to a Longer Life—Again. Retrieved 22 January 2017 from, http://time.com/3614678/mediterranean-diet-longevity/
