480.602 Changing Behavior through Communication

The goal of many communication initiatives is to encourage some type of behavior change. Communication professionals who understand how people change their behavior can create more successful campaigns. This course surveys major theories used to predict when and under what circumstances individuals are most likely to change their behavior. Behavior change includes a variety of actions, such as voting for a candidate, purchasing a product, joining a social networking group, or adopting a new health habit. Individual-level, interpersonal-level, and community-level models of change will be covered. By becoming familiar with specific theories and the empirical support for those theories, students will learn how to use social science based models to guide their communication strategies effectively.

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