Establishing Perceived Authority, Reciprocity, and the Principle of Persuasion to Optimize Relevance

 As rooted in social and behavioral psychology, the Principle of Persuasion can be a powerful pedagogical tool applied to learning, particularly when seeking to establish relevance. By aligning persuasive strategies with instructional goals, educators can deepen the perceived relevance of the material, which can inspire students to engage meaningfully with the content.  Reciprocity describes the natural human tendency to feel obligated to return a favor or respond in kind to positive actions received from others.

The desire for reciprocity is foundational to building relationships, fostering cooperation, and creating a sense of mutual respect (Brehm & Witte, 2022). Reciprocity is not transactional but rather relational, thereby building trust and goodwill over time. This desire operates across cultures, making it a versatile universal tool in human interaction. The feeling of obligation to give back is often emotionally rooted in gratitude or social norms. In educational contexts, reciprocity can be used to foster engagement and inspiration.

By creating a sense of value, promoting collaboration, and encouraging participation, the effective educator provides students with meaningful resources, constructive feedback, or personalized support. This can encourage students to reciprocate by engaging more actively in class or assignments. For instance, students in group work who help one another are likely to receive support in return, creating a positive cycle of cooperation. When an instructor shares personal anecdotes or real-life applications, students may feel encouraged to share their own experiences, thereby enriching class discussions.

The reciprocity norm builds relevance through mutual exchange. People are more likely to engage when they feel they’re receiving something of value in return. So, the effective educator needs to provide something of value first. The educator offering time, effort, or expertise establishes goodwill and thereby subconsciously encourages students to reciprocate through increased effort, participation, or engagement.

Offering resources, tools, or support early in the course creates goodwill and fosters engagement. Sharing the direct, relevant benefits of the content initiates the desire to reciprocate.  For instance, "Learning these provided skills will help you excel in real-world problem-solving or your future career as a…[fill in the blank]", is specific, direct, and relevant.  Planning for reciprocity creates opportunities for students to share their experiences, which empowers and makes them feel valued.

For reciprocity to be effective in a learning or instructional context, authority must first be established.  Authority enhances the credibility and perceived value of what is being offered (McCroskey & Teven, 2016). Learners are more likely to view the educator’s feedback, resources, or support as valuable when the educator is perceived as a knowledgeable, competent authority. Without authority, learners may question whether the “favor” or effort provided is meaningful or worth reciprocating.

People are more likely to feel obligated to reciprocate when the giver is someone they respect or trust.  Authority lends weight to the interaction, making students feel that reciprocation through participation or completion of tasks is not just expected but worthwhile. Therefore, a student is more likely to put effort into an assignment when they believe the educator’s feedback comes from a position of expertise and can genuinely improve their learning.

In educational settings, perceived authority establishes a natural structure whereby the educator leads and the students follow. Reciprocity operates effectively within this structure because students view the educator’s contributions as both intentional and deserving of effort in return. As a positive consequence, when an educator shares valuable study techniques and demonstrates their effectiveness, students are more inclined to apply these methods and share their own success stories. By contrast, whenever authority isn’t perceived or established, the relationship may feel peer-like, and students might undervalue what is being offered to them.

Authority reinforces that the educator is uniquely positioned to provide resources, insights, or guidance that cannot be easily obtained elsewhere (Weeks, Ardèvol-Abreu & de Zúñiga, 2017).  Learners are less likely to resist reciprocating when they recognize the educator’s authority and the legitimacy of the effort being asked in return. In this vein, authority minimizes skepticism or doubt about the educator’s intentions or the relevance of the course material.

An intentional, caring, optimistic, respectful, trusting (ICORT) mindset (Purkey & Novak, 2015; Anderson, 2021) can be more inviting for implementing two elements of the Principle of Persuasion that can optimize students' perceived relevance.   Authority creates the foundation of trust and respect that makes the desire for reciprocity more powerful. When students perceive the educator as credible and knowledgeable, they are more likely to value the educator's efforts and feel a sense of obligation to engage and optimally contribute.

 

To Cite:

Anderson, C.J. (November 30, 2024) Establishing perceived authority, reciprocity, and the principle of persuasion to optimize relevance. [Web log post] Retrieved from http://www.ucan-cja.blogspot.com/

 

References:

Anderson, C. J. (2021). Developing your students' emotional intelligence and philosophical perspective begins with I-CORT. Journal of Invitational Theory and Practice, 27, 36-50.

Brehm, S., & Witte, K. (2022). Engaging persuasion: What should undergraduate students enrolled in a persuasion course learn? Journal of Educational Communication Research, 48(3), 112-128. Retrieved from ERIC

McCroskey, J. C., & Teven, J. J. (2016). The impact of instructor credibility on student learning. Communication Education, 55(3), 223-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520600750532

Purkey, W. W., & Novak, J. M. (2015). Fundamentals of invitational education. (2nd Ed) International Alliance for Invitational Education. Retrieved from: Fundamental of Invitational Education | IAIE

Weeks, B., Ardèvol-Abreu, A., & de Zúñiga, H. G. (2017). Online persuasion: Instructor credibility and the post-truth era. Computers in Education, 65(1), 45-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.12.006