ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors examine some of the important ways in which images shape beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. First, they consider the importance of visual stimuli and how images persuade. Next, the authors examine art as a form of persuasion, cinematic influence, images in advertising, and photojournalism as a form of persuasion. Traditionally, the study of persuasion has focused on influence attempts that take place within the world of words. One way that images persuade is by functioning as icons, which simply means that they stand for and resemble the things they represent. An image can sum up a concept. A second way in which images persuade is through indexicality. This refers to the ability of images, in particular photos and video, to document that an event happened or that something took place. Indexical images often function as a form of sign reasoning or circumstantial evidence.
