Research from Northwestern University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reveals that citizen-to-citizen persuasion is more effective than previously thought, even on divisive political issues. The study found that 30% of attempts to persuade others succeeded, while backlash was minimal.
Lead author Martin Naunov emphasized the shift in persuasion dynamics due to social media: “Today, with social media, anyone with internet access can broadcast their ideas, potentially to a massive audience.” Co-authors Timothy J. Ryan and Carlos Rueda-Cañòn collaborated on this study.
The research involved two stages. Initially, over 400 participants were tasked with crafting arguments on immigration, climate change, and transgender rights aimed at persuading someone with opposing views. In the second stage, these arguments were presented to more than 3,000 individuals who then reassessed their opinions after exposure to a counterargument.
The findings suggest ordinary citizens are open to differing viewpoints despite increasing polarization. Naunov noted: “Yes, Americans are increasingly polarized, but at least among ordinary citizens, there’s still a fair amount of openness to competing political viewpoints.”
Successful persuasion often involved bridging identity divides and using personal narratives rather than emphasizing political knowledge or overwhelming recipients with facts. Naunov explained: “Persuasion is most likely when the would-be persuader can see the issue through the other person’s eyes.”
The study underscores the potential for citizen-driven discourse as opposed to elite-driven narratives. Naunov remarked on this dynamic: “Unlike political elites...ordinary citizens aren’t running for office...This makes them come across as more authentic.”
Naunov also addressed broader societal implications: “However aspiring authoritarians and techno-feudalists might benefit from this kind of divisiveness, ordinary people do not.” He called for exploring platform features that could foster respectful engagement.
The study titled "Who’s Persuasive? Understanding Citizen-to-Citizen Efforts to Change Minds" will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Politics.