Persuasion

Apologetics () is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics and recommended their faith to outsiders were called Christian apologists. In 21st-century usage, apologetics is often identified with debates over religion and theology.

thumb|upright|Persuasion (novel)|Persuasion, novel by [[Jane Austen, illustrated by C. E. Brock. For Sir Walter Elliot, baronet, the hints of Mr Shepherd, his agent, were quite unwelcome...]] Persuasion or persuasion arts is an umbrella term for influence. Persuasion can influence a person's beliefs, attitudes, intentions, motivations, or behaviours.

thumb|upright|A Christian proselytizer trying to spread his faith in London, England, 1970

In Greek mythology, Peitho ( or 'winning eloquence') is the personification of persuasion. She is a goddess of charming speech. She is typically presented as an important companion of Aphrodite. Her opposite is Bia, the personification of force. As a personification, she was sometimes imagined as a goddess and sometimes an abstract power with her name used both as a common and proper noun. There is evidence that Peitho was referred to as a goddess before she was referred to as an abstract concept, which is rare for a personification. Peitho represents both sexual and political persuasion. She

unintended consequences of an attempt to persuade resulting in the adoption of an opposing position instead

branch of computer science studying the intersection of social behavior and computational systems

psychology experiment involving the administration of a fictional drug

technology designed to persuade

dual process theory of persuasion

Captology is the study of computers as persuasive technologies. This area of inquiry explores the overlapping space between persuasion in general (influence, motivation, behavior change, etc.) and computing technology. This includes the design, research, and program analysis of interactive computing products (such as the Web, desktop software, specialized devices, etc.) created for the purpose of changing people's attitudes or behaviors.

self-persuasion theory

personality trait reflecting the extent to which individuals are inclined towards effortful cognitive activities