Pausing, Processing And Persuasion
I was reading an academic article about persuasion science. I paused when I got to the end of a sentence. I wasnât sure I understood it. After thinking about it for a few seconds, I was sure I hadnât understood it. (Academic articles are frequently laced with jargon that the authors assume the readers understand. The sentences tend to be long and are packed with information.) I went back and read it again â this time more slowly. Then, I paused again. I understood it better than the first time I had read it, but still needed a little time to think about the subject. This is how most people process what they read. Students who donât stop to think about what they have just read will likely do poorly on examinations because the ability to remember is closely linked to whether they understood and processed the information. Jurors listening to lawyers and witnesses donât have the ability to press a pause button so they can think about what they just heard. This blog discusses how lawyers can present information so that jurors will be more likely to remember and be persuaded.
