The Psychology of Verbal Interactions Studying the Differences between Persuasion, Manipulation and Coercion within the Educational Environment

Abstract

Our everyday life and society are built on the concept of interaction, this being defined as the general means of exchanging information between at least two individuals. In this respect, the main means of communication is through verbal interactions, although, the quality and the relevance of such effective acts are heavily influenced by additional elements, such as non-verbal and paraverbal components: gestures, body language, voice inflexion, pitch, etc.

Thus, this research was conducted with the purpose of identifying and analysing the psychology of verbal interactions, within the educational environment, including the effects exerted upon each individual, while comparing the discursive manifestations of different processes and techniques, such as persuasion, manipulation and coercion. In addition, other elements relevant to our research were the following: the differences between techniques of influence, their impact upon each participant within interactions, the manner in which their are received, processed and handled  by each individual involved in the educational process.

Our study targeted both the category of educators (teachers) and the one of students, from different institutions and levels of education (high school and post-secondary school), from Bacau county, Romania, while the research methods included observation and questionnaires, all in order to correctly assess the reasons, the needs and the impact (if any) of these influential practices.