Artifact Analysis: The Sunken Place of Persuasion

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For my artifact analysis, I chose Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed movie Get Out. The reason I chose this film is due to the nuanced interpretation of racial dynamics and the art of persuasion. Dissecting the components of Get Out, I will unveil how it incorporates the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Theory of Reasoned Action, and Social Judgement Theory.

         First, let’s dive into the Elaboration Likelihood Theory. This model has two perspectives, Central and Peripheral persuasion. From our reading in Chapter 5, “High-involvement receivers tend to process messages via the central route, whereas low-involvement receivers rely on peripheral cues” (Gass & Seiter, 2023, p. 148). This means central focuses on complex ideas using logic and scrutiny to determine conclusions on decisions. Peripheral is surface level and can be swayed by the level of emotional investment on the receiver’s end. We can see this model through interactions with the main characters: Chris, Rose, and her parents. Making them an interracial couple adds a layer of depth to the story as well. The movie starts off with Chris and Rose going through a last-minute checklist of his packed items. They’re going to visit her parents, in which Chris is the first Black man she’s dated. Of course there’s hesitance, but she persuades him everything will be fine due to her parent’s liberal nature. She throws in a quick comment of them being President Obama supporters to add legitimacy to her claims. For me, this is a great example of peripheral persuasion. Chris can make a judgment call based on his girlfriend’s reassurance of the situation. She uses her ability through romantic connection putting him at ease to become complaint with her requests. Deeper levels of persuasion occur once they arrive to their destination. The father, Dean Armitage, takes Chris on a tour of their home to get some alone time. He starts off by telling stories to build a foundational connection. He shows him items from his travels to ethnic countries setting the tone of appreciation for various cultures. He later tells the story of his father losing a race to Jesse Owens to qualify for the Berlin Olympics. He gloats how Hitler had to witness a Black man showing superior talent that goes against Hitler’s beliefs which Dean seems to get satisfaction from. This solidifies that Chris has found an ally and that their racial background isn’t one of distrust. Dean persuaded him to believe he was trustworthy.

          The next model used to dissect this movie is the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). This plays into societal norms and how we think people will perceive us. Unfortunately, the Black community has not been awarded the freedom to be unapologetically themselves in most spaces. Every day they combat negative stereotypes to ensure they can reach some level of equity in this country. The first example of TRA is when Chris encounters the employees at the Armitage’s home. One is a housekeeper, and the other is a groundskeeper. Both seem odd in their interactions with Rose’s parents but Chris chalks it up to them playing it safe to stay employed. By observing this social cue, he minimizes himself to not appear threatening. It’s very clear he’s uncomfortable but he also has the thought lingering over him to impress his girlfriend’s parents. Using this theory, Chris plays into tailoring himself to meet the expectations of those that perceive him to maintain a non-threatening presence and a safe suitor for Rose. The most controversial example is what Chris discovers when the Armitage’s intentions are revealed. They’ve been abducting Black people for the sole purpose of transplanting the consciousness of White people into their bodies. While this is reminiscent of something you’d see in a Black Mirror episode, they do it under the guise of admiration. They view Black bodies as structurally superior so it “cancels” out any racist ulterior motives. The Armitage household and like-minded people use this method of persuasion to gain the support of other elites that may find this way of thinking appealing.

         The last model is the Social Judgement Theory. This contains anchored beliefs in three zones: acceptance, noncommitment, and rejection. This sliding scale gauges how a person can be persuaded to either side of the spectrum. Chris goes through a whirlwind of emotions and internal bartering throughout the movie. He enters a situation the meeting Rose’s family for the first time with skepticism but nonetheless acceptance to make her happy. As their time progresses at her family’s home through interaction with the staff and partygoers, he becomes more cautious to the point of rejection. He doesn’t want to offend anyone or create an uncomfortable environment but it’s to the detriment of his own safety. He allowed her family to persuade him into a situation that could have cost him his life.

         Get Out to me maintains credibility through the lens of persuasion. “Credibility exists in the eye of the beholder; it’s a receiver-based construct” (Gass & Seiter, 2023, p. 113). This statement holds true because there are so many examples to choose from, but the overarching theme is letting your guard down and going against your internal beliefs through suggestive motives. This movie showcases the extreme, and hopefully unrealistic, ways to persuade people but there’s truth buried beneath. This film mirrors subtle microaggressions that people of color experience daily. That’s not to say every comment is fueled with ill intentions but this type of behavior is passed along by convincing others that it’s ok.

Reflecting on the messages portrayed in this movie can encourage dialogue surrounding social dynamics and persuasion. The main characters all possess persuasive qualities that exude intellect, emotional depth, and trust that could reel any unsuspecting person in. It makes the audience leave contemplating their own inventory of internal biases and how they may have used these same tactics subconsciously. Some of the themes resonate with me because I am a Black woman in predominately White spaces especially in my career field. Although I’m very cognizant of behaviors and strategically curated language, I am still responsible for how I interact with and to the transmitter’s message. I thoroughly enjoyed this assignment and will use these theories for future observations.

References

Gass, R. H., & Seiter, J. S. (2023). Persuasion: Social influence and compliance gaining (7th ed.). Routledge.

Peele, J. (Director). (2017). Get out [Film]. Universal Pictures.