Orchard's persuasion

Tutorial on Wednesday morning made me realised that i could use persuasion method to explain the theory behind persuading someone. Simply using the central route-cognitive response theory, and the peripheral route-heuristic. Probably Maslow's hierarchy of needs to explain why people buy branded bags imitations. The central route to persuasion means that under certain condition, people are motivated to pay attention as well as to think deep about the facts in the message. The peripheral route to persuasion would mean that people pay attention to characteristics that are superficial and appealing when first looked at. Maslow's hierarchy of needs include satisfying the basic needs such as food, water and shelter, security needs, belongness and love needs, esteem needs and lastly, self actualisation.



it has been a puzzling thought that i have carried in my mind for a long time and finally, social psych provided me the official names and theories to it.

My mom and I would walk the Orchard area when it's holiday for me. Of course, we would walk pass the Orchard underground tunnel that will lead us to either Marriot Hotel, Wheelock, Isetan or Tangs...

Along the Orchard tunnel, we will often see people bustling to and fro with some flyers distributors. But, out of the intertwining flow, you will see a barrier that will cause the flow of human 'water' to be especially squeezy at the area near the barrier.

Barrier here would mean a whole lot of aunties crowding at a corner buying imitations of branded goods such as the wallets and purses. i do see LV, guess? and other sorts. It's not legally sold i am sure, because they were ransacking for more nicer looking ones IN A LUGGUAGE BAG! The person selling it looked, according to heuristic biasness, like he was from China. SO, using representative heuristics, we often associate China with imitation and unsafe products. I not trying to smear the reputation of China chinese or trying to do anything bad but...it's a fact...:D

of course, armed with persuasions, i used the central route to change the attitude of my mom's. i told my mom that they are imitations and even if it is real, it could not possibly be sold at such area, in a lugguage bags with the shifty eyes of the vendor. People selling stuff like these would be caught by the police and whoever buys them, violate the law on purpose. So i broke the whole thing down to let my mom think and analyse, and instilled the 'fear' in her.

So why are aunties buying imitations?? What's more at Orchard Tunnel?

First of all, advertisments of branded goods by famous celebrities appeals to our cognitive peripherally, that if you have a branded good, you are cool, you will be like by your friends and you will be part of the higher social class.The peripheral route to persuasion- heuristic persuasion or the 'soft sell' refers to using images, emotions, or values to sell.

MOtivated,one would want to have it for themself because that will boost your self-esteem. WIth self-esteem, you will strive for the next need-self actualisation.

but because those aunties cant afford that expensive luxury, they then settle for the lesser.

i thought the aunties would do better without these luxury because that would make them feel more guilty by buying imitations.