Observation #4: Persuasion Paper

Participants: 6 children, ages 8 – 13; 2 males, 4 females

Setting: Gamestop video game store, San Francisco

Description of Interaction:

Interaction Communication Acts

Encounter 1: Female – age 9

Girl: Mom, look! That’s the game I wanted! Indication

Mom: Not right now, baby. Go catch your brother.

Girl: How come he gets one? Appeal

Mom: Because he’s paying for it.

Encounter 2: Female – age 8

Girl: I need a game for my DS, Daddy. Need Statement

Dad: That’s not why we’re here, is it?

Girl: Pleeeeeeease, daddy? Polite Statement

I’ll do the dishes when we go home! Interaction

Dad: We’ll talk about it later.

Girl: I’ll do the dishes every day for… a week! Interaction

Dad: Later, sweetie.

Encounter 3: Male – age 13

Boy: Mama, did you see they have Smash Brothers? Indication

Mom: Oh yeah?

Boy: Can we get it today? Interrogative

It’s only $49 dollars. Advertisement

Mom: I can’t afford it right now, mijo.

Boy: Can I use my allowance to get it later? Discourse

Mom: That’s up to you, son.

Encounter 4: Female – age unknown (possibly 8 or 9)

Girl: I want the same one as Sarah. Direct request / Imperative

Mom: I don’t think so.

Girl: Whyyyyyyy? Appeal

If you get it, I can play with her. Discourse

And then we can trade puppies. Advertisement

That’s how the game works, mommy. Indication

Mom: I said no.

Encounter 5: Male – age 11

Boy: Mario Kart comes with a steering wheel! Indication / Advertisement

Dad: Sounds cool.

Boy: I can’t wait to play it! Indirect request / Expression

Jake from class has one already. Hint / Advertisement

Dad: Maybe he’ll let you play his then.

Encounter 6: Female – age 10

Girl: Can I get this one too? Polite Request

Mom: Maybe when it’s your birthday.

Girl: But that’s like forever away! Appeal

That’s not fair, mommy! Appeal

You said I could have one. Interaction

Mom: You keep it up and you won’t even get a party.

My Thoughts:

Following the Axia model of observing persuasion and politeness strategies as

presented in How to Persuade Mum to Buy a Toy, I spent the day observing a collection

of children who either entered or walked past the Gamestop video game store in

Stonestown Mall. In keeping with the results of their findings, I chose to include the

speech codes analyzed in Axia’s findings, in addition to the directive categorizations

identified by Erwin-Tripp.

Encounter 1 maintained a simple request, which was immediately rebuffed by the

child’s mother. The nine year-old girl first indicates the game she wants, using an

embedded imperative to reinforce her desire. When her mother rejects her request, she

attempts to persuade her mother with an appeal based on her brother’s ability to purchase

his own game.

In Encounter 2, the young girl began with a strong need statement, resorting to a

more polite request after her request was denied, and following up with attempts at

bargaining for the game in exchange for additional house chores. Her father, having

never completely rejected her offer, instead dismissed the child’s attempts at negotiation

to be reconsidered (or possibly forgotten) at a later date.

The child in Encounter 3 seemed to exhibit the most sincere display of sensitivity

to his mother’s point of view. After indicating the game he wanted, including offering the

sales price (almost suggesting that it was already a cheap rate), the boy’s mother

explained that they could not afford the game. This prompted the child to then suggest
that he pay for it himself by means of his own allowance, relieving the financial burden

from mother to child. This example reinforces Axia’s findings that older children make

better use of discourse and negotiation than younger children.

Encounter 4’s child used strategies across the board, attempting to gain her

mother’s compliance first through an imperative, then alternating persuasion strategies

between an overtly simple appeal, a bargain, added value, and finally drawing attention to

the game’s function. In the end, however, all proved for naught.

In Encounter 5, the child first used an attention-getting strategy by identifying the

name of the video game, then advertising its increased value with the mention of the

included ‘steering wheel’ accessory. He then expressed his interest for the game while

also indirectly making the request to own it, and finally hinted at his desires by increasing

its value among his classmates.

Finally, in Encounter 6, the child first attempted a polite request to gain parental

compliance. When she is rejected, the young girl resorts to a less mature, simplified

process of appeals, until ultimately she attempts to compromise by turning her own

mother’s words against her, which only backfired with the threat of additional

consequences.