D076

Persuasion Skill

BD06 Social Interaction & Communication
Derived LayerMML-3

Version v1.2.4

Definition

The ability to shift another person’s belief or decision via argument, framing, examples, and delivery, without coercion.

Poles

Each HES element is a spectrum, not a category: the Low and High poles describe how it presents at its two extremes, while the Reference marks the typical, everyday middle. The poles map variation across the range — neither end is inherently better or worse.

Low Pole

Others understand but do not move; arguments miss incentives or criteria; influence is weak.

High Pole

Positions shift reliably; reasoning is tailored to the audience’s standards and motives.

Reference

Persuasive with aligned audiences; weaker across value conflict or domain distance.

Measure

• Primary: Shift Rate — the proportion of cases where stance/decision changes after the communication, controlling for external incentives.
• Secondary: Comprehension Accuracy — degree to which the audience correctly understands the intended message.

Measuring Methods

Pre/post stance protocols + controls for baseline motivation and rewards; can include comprehension checks to separate clarity from persuasion.

Empirical Anchor

Persuasion skill / persuasion knowledge (Friestad & Wright, 1994); elaboration likelihood model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986); influence tactics (Cialdini, 2001).

Notes

Distinct from narrative skill (D077): storytelling is a vehicle; persuasion is measured by change in stance or decision.
Distinct from diplomacy (D081): diplomacy focuses on preserving relationships; persuasion focuses on moving the other party.

Citation

APA

Human Elements System. (2026). Persuasion Skill (HES Passport D076, v1.2.4). hestable.com. https://hestable.com/passport/D076

BibTeX

@misc{hes_D076, author = {{Human Elements System}}, title = {{Persuasion Skill}}, year = {2026}, note = {HES Passport D076, v1.2.4}, howpublished = {\url{https://hestable.com/passport/D076}} }