Influence goals in seeking compliance in persuasive messages in isiXhosa
Ralarala, Monwabisi Knowledge (2010-03)
Thesis (DLitt (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It has been observed in human interaction within our social milieu that individuals make
attempts from time to time to influence others in order to accomplish their goals. The
scholarly interest in the message-production side of this phenomenon has assumed the
study of compliance gaining or persuasion (Wilson 2002; Dillard 2004). According to
Wilson (2002:15), “contemporary theories of persuasive message production are guided
by a metaphor of ‘goal pursuit’” .This study pursues this proposition by focusing on the
(a) To explore the social influence goals that are characteristic of interpersonal
persuasive communication in Xhosa
(b) To explore the empirical and theoretical properties of communicative competence of
isiXhosa speakers as exemplified in the planning and accomplishment of influence
goals within the framework of Wilson’s (1997, 1998, 2002) Cognitive Rule (CR)
model of interaction goals, Berger’s (1997) approach to planning social influence
goals in persuasive messages, and Dillard’s (2004) Goal Plan Action (GPA) model
(c) To establish the theoretical questions raised by the empirical evidence of social
influence goals of Xhosa speakers for the extension, refinement and modification of
the cited models of interaction goals and persuasive message production
The data, from which the written descriptions of the persuasive messages were analysed,
were collected from college students at False Bay College in Khayelitsha, in the Western
Cape. A total of 24 Xhosa-speaking students (12 women and 12 men) within the age
range of 18 to 23 years were asked to write self-reports on their recollection of recent
influence episodes in which they attempted to change other fellow students’ behaviour on
specific themes, i.e. Religion, Education, Parent-child relationship, Social/casual
relationship, Favour from a friend and Intimacy/relationship.
The research data were analysed and evaluated against the amalgamation of the
concepts, principles and propositions that constitute the designated theoretical
frameworks, namely the CR model, the planning approach and the GPA model.
The results indicate that the proposed theoretical mechanisms are applicable and
profitable in the analysis of the research data of the current study. This finding is evidenced by the frameworks’ utility in addressing and explaining the nature and scope of
persuasive imperatives that presumably underlie the influence goals in seeking
compliance in Xhosa.
profitable in the analysis of the research data of the current study. This finding is
evidenced by their utility in addressing and explaining the nature and scope of persuasive
imperatives that presumably underlie the influence goals in seeking compliance in Xhosa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tydens interaksie tussen mense in ons sosiale omgewing is al opgemerk dat individue van
tyd tot tyd pogings aanwend om ander te beïnvloed ten einde hul eie doelwitte te bereik.
Die wetenskaplike belangstelling in die boodskapproduksiedeel van hierdie verskynsel het
op die studie van die bereiking van nakoming of oorreding gefokus (Wilson 2002; Dillard
2004). Wilson (2002:15) is van mening dat hedendaagse teorieë van
oorredingsboodskapproduksie deur ’n metafoor van ‘doelwitnastrewing’ gerig word.
Hierdie studie ondersoek hierdie stelling deur op die volgende doelwitte te fokus:
(a) Om die sosiale-invloed-doelwitte wat kenmerkend is van interpersoonlike
oorredingskommunikasie in Xhosa te ondersoek
(b) Om die empiriese en teoretiese eienskappe van kommunikatiewe vaardigheid van
Xhosa-sprekers te ondersoek, soos in die beplanning en bereiking van
invloeddoelwitte binne die raamwerk van Wilson (1997, 1998, 2002) se
kognitiewereël- (KR-)model van interaksiedoelwitte, Berger (1997) se benadering tot
die beplanning van sosiale-invloed-doelwitte in oorredingsboodskappe, en Dillard
(2004) se doelplanaksie- (DPA-)model toegelig word
(c) Om die teoretiese vrae wat op grond van die empiriese bewyse van Xhosa-sprekers
se sosiale-invloed-doelwitte na vore kom, te bepaal, sodat die genoemde modelle
van interaksiedoelwitte en oorredingsboodskapproduksie uitgebrei, verfyn en
gewysig kan word
Die data waaruit die skriftelike beskrywings van die oorredingsboodskappe ontleed is, is
van kollegestudente by Valsbaai Kollege in Khayelitsha in die Wes-Kaap versamel. ’n
Totaal van 24 Xhosa-sprekende studente (12 vroue en 12 mans) in die ouderdomsgroep
18 tot 23 jaar is gevra om selfverslae te skryf oor hul herinnerings van onlangse invloedepisodes
waarin hulle gepoog het om ander medestudente se gedrag ten opsigte van
spesifieke temas te verander. Dit temas was Geloof, Opvoeding, Ouer-kind-verhouding,
Sosiale/oppervlakkige verhouding, Guns van ’n vriend en Intimiteit/verhouding.
Die navorsingsdata is ontleed en ten opsigte van die samevoeging van die konsepte,
beginsels en stellings waaruit die aangewese teoretiese raamwerke, naamlik die KRmodel,
die beplanningsbenadering en die DPA-model bestaan, geëvalueer. Die resultate toon aan dat die voorgestelde teoretiese meganismes toepaslik en nuttig is in
die ontleding van die navorsingsdata van hierdie studie. Die bevinding word gestaaf deur
die raamwerke se nut om die aard en omvang van oorredingsopdragte, wat vermoedelik
ten grondslag van die invloeddoelwitte in die strewe na nakoming in Xhosa lê, bloot te lê
en te verklaar.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/3989
This item appears in the following collections: Doctoral Degrees (African Languages)33