1. An attempt to induce some change in an audience's attitudes or behaviour (see also elaboration likelihood model; Yale model). One of the major communicative functions: see persuasive function.
2. A general classification for forms of discourse that aim to influence an audience's attitudes and/or behaviour by appealing to their emotions and/or their reason. Brooks and Warren distinguish between argument (using rational appeals) and persuasion (using emotional appeals), suggesting that persuasion is almost a fifth type in their list of rhetorical modes of discourse which meet basic human communicative purposes. Three key types are religious, political, and commercial. Compare argument; description; exposition; narration.