Persuasive Interviewing

Of the three elements in the interview process — questioning, detecting deception and persuasion — the last proves to be the most challenging and problematic. Utilizing a transcript of a successful persuasive interview, the text examines which communication dynamics must occur in order to influence the behavior of another person, and how those dynamics are incorporated into the interview process.

The text provides a chapter by chapter delineation of the unfolding persuasion process. Included are various correlated practical exercises and application questions. Within the application exercises are contributions from the works of Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, Charles Dickens, Moses and Aristotle. The text is designed and targeted for use in academic and educational environments, as well as training settings.

In the second edition, the text and participant workbook have been combined. The authors, as well as others utilizing the materials in training or academic environments, found that transitioning from the text to the workbook resulted in a loss of continuity. Placing the practical exercises with the information provided serves to readily anchor the information to the application.