For Persuasive Design, Keep Rhetoric in the Mix
I recently read the book Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click. Useful? Yes. Clear explanation of psychology in persuasive websites? Yes. All you need to know about persuasive websites? No. And that’s okay—even good.
You see, I’m wary of even the teeniest implication that there is a psychological formula for persuasion. If it were that easy, we could mold influential websites (or any persuasive interactive experience, for that matter) from a persuasion cookie cutter.
I don’t deny that cognitive psychology yields helpful insights. But when it comes to persuasion and influence, other fields do, too.
Among the fields I’d like to see explored further is rhetoric. Why? Because a huge part of what influences us on a website is content. And a key ingredient of website content is language. Rhetoric is the study of using language to persuade or influence. It’s been around since Aristotle. How can we ignore rhetoric—the persuasive use of words—as we try to make our word-filled websites persuasive? That would be like trying to bake a delicious cake with no understanding of flour, milk, or chocolate.
In the seminal book Persuasive Technology, B.J. Fogg includes rhetoric. Let’s make sure rhetoric stays in the persuasive design mix.
[...] Neuro Web Design This new book gives an easy-to-understand explanation of how our brains work and, consequently, how to influence. It also gives useful, practical examples. I’m not sure I like the subtle implication that persuasion is a psychological formula, as I’ve discussed. [...]