Messengers

Behavioral scientist Stephen Martin and researcher Joseph Marks synthesize an enormous volume of information on how messengers influence the messages you hear and the attention you pay to them. They present their material on the effects of hard and soft messengers, complete with compelling examples that explore decades of research. The authors’ understanding of messengers will help communicators and audiences decode the information age.

Perceived Status

Higher socioeconomic status – from fame, wealth or position – gives messengers greater credibility because people believe society rewards hard work. Audiences think people with high status have traits that contributed to their success and might be useful to their listeners.