This course examines the psychological foundations of attitudes and persuasive communication, with a particular focus on how attitudes are formed, maintained, changed, and expressed through interpersonal, organizational, media, and digital communication. Drawing on theories and research in social psychology, the course explores major approaches to persuasion, including source credibility, message characteristics, audience factors, cognitive and affective processes, resistance to persuasion, and attitude change. Students examine how persuasive communication operates in advertising, public relations, political and social campaigns, health communication, organizational settings, and social media. Particular attention is given to ethical considerations, misinformation, manipulation, and the responsible use of persuasive strategies. Through theoretical discussions, empirical research, case studies, experiments, and practical communication exercises, students develop the ability to critically analyze persuasive messages and design effective, evidence-based, and ethically responsible communication strategies.
- Teacher: Murat KAPLAN