Online Influence and Persuasion from Coursera

In the "Online Influence and Persuasion" course, learners will explore the intricate dynamics of social media through the lens of Social Network Analysis (SNA). This course is designed to equip you with essential skills to analyze how social media influences behaviors, perceptions, and organizational structures. By mastering key SNA measures and clustering techniques, you will uncover valuable insights into network subgroups and social forces.

What sets this course apart is its comprehensive approach to understanding online influence, including the neurobiological aspects of social media addiction and the interplay between misinformation and persuasion. You will gain hands-on experience managing social media data through APIs, enabling you to extract, transform, and analyze data effectively.

By the end of this course, you will not only understand the theoretical foundations of online influence and persuasion but also acquire practical skills that can be applied in various contexts, from marketing to behavioral research. This unique combination of theory and practice will prepare you to navigate the complexities of the digital landscape and make data-driven decisions that can enhance organizational effectiveness.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Introduction

In this course, you will explore the practical applications of machine learning through hands-on modules covering data pre-processing, feature extraction, model evaluation, and supervised learning techniques. You will delve into specialized topics such as computer vision and learn to implement and assess various machine learning models. This course combines theoretical insights with practical lab activities to equip you with essential skills in applied machine learning.

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Explores the neurobiological aspects of social media addiction, which offers a unique perspective on understanding user behavior and engagement patterns

Teaches how to manage social media data through APIs, enabling learners to extract, transform, and analyze data effectively for practical applications

Examines the interplay between disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, and propaganda, which is crucial for navigating the complexities of online information ecosystems

Covers Social Network Analysis (SNA) measures and clustering techniques, which are essential for understanding network subgroups and social forces

Presented by Johns Hopkins University, which is known for its research and academic programs in public health, data science, and related fields

Reviews summary

Online influence analysis: mixed experience

According to students, the Online Influence and Persuasion course offers a largely positive exploration of social media analysis and influence dynamics. Learners found the course content insightful and relevant for professional life, appreciating the mix of theory and practice. However, a significant portion of reviews highlights issues with course organization and clarity, finding it confusing at times. The assignments are frequently mentioned as a major weakness, with many finding them difficult and lacking clear instructions. Some students also felt the content was too basic if they had prior statistical or machine learning knowledge, suggesting it might be best suited for beginners to intermediate learners.

Background in statistics/ML helpful for assignments.

"The course assumes you already have prior knowledge in statistics and machine learning..."

"too basic course if you have already skills on ML/statistics"

"Having a background in stats or ML would be helpful."

Good overview, potentially too basic for some.

"Provides a good overview of the topics."

"the lectures were much too simple"

"too basic course if you have already skills on ML/statistics"

"I felt the lectures were quite simple and basic."

Useful for career goals, but some found it lacking.

"Very good practical content, useful for career path."

"Useful insights into social media dynamics for professional life."

"very practical application of the topic"

"didn't feel like I learned much practical knowledge"

"Did not learn anything useful"

Some learners reported issues with labs or APIs.

"Some technical issues with labs and assignments were there."

"twitter API has issues now"

"I experienced some technical problems with the lab environments."

Mixed feedback; some found it clear, many found it confusing.

"Badly organized, confusing and lack of clarity."

"The course felt disorganized and confusing..."

"very confusing materials."

"Course structure is good and content is useful."

"The course felt disorganized and confusing lectures/assignments"

Assignments often unclear and frustrating for learners.

"The assignments are TERRIBLE. Unclear instructions, no guidance whatsoever..."

"felt disorganized and confusing, especially the assignments."

"Assignments are very difficult to follow and instructions are not always clear."

"The assignments were very difficult."

"I found the assignments very difficult to follow and instructions were not clear."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Online Influence and Persuasion with these activities:

Review Social Psychology Concepts

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Reinforce your understanding of core social psychology principles to better grasp the mechanisms of online influence and persuasion.

Browse courses on Social Psychology

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Review key concepts like conformity, obedience, and cognitive dissonance.
Take practice quizzes on social psychology topics.
Relate these concepts to real-world examples of online behavior.

Review 'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion'

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Deepen your understanding of persuasion principles by studying a classic text on the subject.

View Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of... on Amazon

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Read the book 'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion'.
Summarize the six principles of influence.
Identify examples of these principles in online marketing campaigns.

Practice API Data Extraction

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Improve your data extraction skills by practicing with social media APIs.

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Choose a social media platform with an open API.
Obtain API credentials.
Write code to extract data from the API.
Transform and load the data into a database.

Four other activities

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Review 'Amusing Ourselves to Death'

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Gain a broader perspective on the impact of media on society by reading a classic critique of television and visual culture.

View The Disappearance of Childhood on Amazon

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Read the book 'Amusing Ourselves to Death'.
Identify the key arguments made by the author.
Relate these arguments to the current state of social media.

Create a Presentation on Online Conformity

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Solidify your understanding of network conformity by creating a presentation that explains its dynamics and impact.

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Research the concept of network conformity and its effects.
Find examples of network conformity in online communities.
Create a presentation outlining the key aspects of network conformity.
Present your findings to a peer or study group.

Analyze a Social Media Misinformation Campaign

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Apply your knowledge of online influence and persuasion by analyzing a real-world misinformation campaign.

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Identify a recent social media misinformation campaign.
Analyze the techniques used to spread the misinformation.
Assess the impact of the campaign on public opinion.
Write a report summarizing your findings.

Design a Recommender System Audit Tool

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Apply your knowledge of recommender systems by designing a tool to audit their potential biases and manipulative tendencies.

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Research existing recommender system audit tools.
Identify key metrics for assessing recommender system bias.
Design a tool that can automatically audit recommender systems.
Test your tool on a sample recommender system.

Career center

Learners who complete Online Influence and Persuasion will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Social Media Analyst

A social media analyst examines online trends and user behavior to inform business decisions and campaigns. This role requires understanding how social networks function, a key focus of the "Online Influence and Persuasion" course. Learners will master Social Network Analysis (SNA) and clustering techniques, essential for identifying influential subgroups and understanding social forces. This course helps an analyst use APIs to extract and analyze data from social platforms, enabling them to track the spread of information, understand levels of engagement, and measure the effectiveness of communication strategies. The course's insights into online influence, persuasion, and misinformation are particularly relevant to a social media analyst, as it assists in the crafting of more effective and targeted campaigns, and the detection of manipulation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Analyst

Political Campaign Strategist

A political campaign strategist develops and executes strategies to elect candidates. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course helps with understanding how to use social media to influence voters. The course's insights into social media dynamics, particularly the interplay between misinformation and persuasion, helps a strategist craft messaging that is both persuasive and ethically responsible. Learning to analyze social networks helps a campaign strategist understand how to reach and engage different voter groups. The course's lessons also include understanding platform manipulation and the role of recommender systems, equipping a strategist with the insights to navigate the digital landscape. Additionally, the ability to manage and extract social media data with the use of APIs is crucial for a political strategist who needs real time updates to the success of campaigns and strategy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Political Campaign Strategist

Social Media Manager

A social media manager is responsible for planning and executing social media strategies across various platforms. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course provides a holistic understanding of how social media can shape behavior, as well as practical skills for effective social media management. The course teaches how to understand social networks and create content that resonates with the intended audience, with the use of online persuasion strategies. Also helpful is the ability to extract and analyze data with APIs, which will help a social media manager monitor their strategy's effectiveness and adjust accordingly. The course also provides an understanding of misinformation and malinformation, which will help a manager combat the spread of false content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Digital Marketing Specialist

A digital marketing specialist develops and executes marketing campaigns across various online channels. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course provides valuable insights into how to effectively reach and persuade online audiences. This course teaches learners how social media influences behavior and how to use this understanding to create targeted campaigns. A digital marketing specialist will gain from the course's lessons on the interplay between misinformation and persuasion, which helps them craft messaging that resonates with their target audience while also avoiding common pitfalls. Mastering SNA could help a digital marketer understand how messages are shared and amplified through social networks. The course also teaches practical skills in data management through APIs, enabling a digital marketer to measure the success of campaigns and fine-tune strategies for better results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Specialist

Public Opinion Researcher

A public opinion researcher examines views of the public on a variety of different issues. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course gives a strong foundation in understanding how public opinion is shaped, especially in the context of social media. The course covers the dynamics of online persuasion and network effects, allowing a researcher to grasp how opinions form and spread within online communities. The course's focus on misinformation and its impact is vital for a public opinion researcher to gauge the authenticity and validity of public sentiment. The hands on skills that come with managing social media data with APIs also allows for real time research into public opinion.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Opinion Researcher

Market Research Analyst

A market research analyst studies consumer behavior and market trends to guide product development and sales strategies. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course provides a unique perspective of how social media impacts consumer perceptions and purchase decisions. The analyst can apply the course's exploration of Social Network Analysis to understand how influence operates within online communities, and can leverage the learnings about persuasion and misinformation to assess the effectiveness of marketing efforts. The skill in managing social media data through APIs also helps market research analysts to gather and analyze consumer feedback more efficiently, leading to data driven decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness. The course's neurobiological insights into social media use can help an analyst understand trends in consumer engagement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst

Public Relations Specialist

A public relations specialist manages the public image of an organization or individual, using communications to build and maintain relationships. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course provides a strong foundation for understanding how information spreads and shapes public perception. The content on network conformity and influence helps a specialist develop strategies to promote a positive image and counter negative narratives, while learning about the dynamics of online persuasion can assist a specialist to craft messaging that resonates with the target audience. The concepts of misinformation and malinformation are also critical. The course also delves into the neurobiological aspects of social media, which is crucial for a PR specialist to understand how social media affects behavior and how to use this to impact engagement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Content Strategist

A content strategist plans, develops, and manages content across different platforms to meet specific goals. The “Online Influence and Persuasion” course provides the necessary background to understand how content shapes online perceptions and behaviors, particularly through social media. This course teaches the user how to understand social network analysis and online persuasion, which is crucial for creating content that is both engaging and impactful. Additionally, the course also covers the issue of disinformation, which is essential for a content strategist, who works to combat the spread of misinformation through content. The course’s instruction on managing social media data via APIs will also allow the strategist to monitor the performance of their content and make improvements.

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Information Operations Analyst

An information operations analyst works to understand and counter efforts to manipulate information, which is especially vital in understanding digital influence. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course gives a strong grasp of online persuasion, disinformation, and malinformation. The course also teaches how to use Social Network Analysis techniques to identify disinformation campaigns. The skill of managing data through APIs will help an operations analyst monitor and analyze the spread of misinformation across platforms. The course's focus on the neurobiological aspects of social media addiction further informs the analyst of the underlying psychology of manipulation, creating a strong basis for the role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Operations Analyst

Intelligence Analyst

An intelligence analyst gathers and analyzes information to support decision making in various fields, including national security and business. This role needs a strong background in how information spreads and how influence works, a key focus of the "Online Influence and Persuasion" course. This course teaches the dynamics of social networks and the spread of both true and misinformation, as well as how to analyze social media data using APIs. The course's focus on online persuasion and cognitive biases also helps an intelligence analyst to understand the motivations and strategies of actors who work to shape public perception. The course also touches on understanding platform manipulation and recommender systems, which are highly relevant to this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Intelligence Analyst

Behavioral Researcher

A behavioral researcher studies human behavior in various settings, often using experimental and observational methods. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course provides a unique perspective of understanding online social dynamics, allowing a researcher to learn how social networks shape beliefs and behavior. The course focuses heavily on social network analysis techniques, which are invaluable for observing and understanding social forces and influences in online environments. The course also teaches about the neurobiological aspects of social media addiction, which helps a behavioral researcher to understand the underlying factors that affect internet usage. The practical skills that come from managing social media data through APIs also helps in conducting large scale studies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Behavioral Researcher

Communication Consultant

A communication consultant advises individuals and organizations on how to communicate effectively, often in complex and challenging situations. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course addresses the central challenges of this role, by building a greater understanding of online dynamics and the power of social media. The course teaches how online persuasion works, and the ways in which misinformation can spread. This course also has learning about social networks, which is very important for understanding how messages are shared and amplified. The course also helps a consultant to analyze social media data through APIs, which allows them to monitor the effectiveness of communication strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Communication Consultant

User Experience Researcher

A user experience researcher studies how people interact with products and services, with the goal of making them more intuitive and accessible. This role will be aided by the "Online Influence and Persuasion" course's focus on how online platforms shape user behavior and perception. The course provides a strong background in the dynamics of online persuasion, network conformity, and the impact of cognitive biases on online interactions. The course's emphasis on understanding social media influence will help a user experience researcher to design user-friendly platforms that are easy to navigate and use. The skills that come with using APIs to analyze data will also help a researcher to collect data on user behavior and preferences, to improve user experience.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Researcher

Communications Manager

A communications manager oversees the internal and external communication strategies of an organization. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course can be useful to this role by providing a deep understanding of online influence and how to manage information effectively. The course teaches learners to manage social media data and examine how persuasion works online, which is crucial for developing communication strategies that resonate and avoid potential pitfalls, such as the spread of misinformation. This course also prepares the manager to understand how social networks work, which is critical for a communications manager developing an effective message. The course’s focus on social network analysis helps the manager to understand how information flows, ensuring that messages are delivered in the most impactful way.

See salaries and explore the career path for Communications Manager

Policy Analyst

A policy analyst researches and analyzes policy issues, and often makes recommendations to government and other organizations. The "Online Influence and Persuasion" course provides a strong foundation for understanding how online platforms and social networks shape public opinion and behavior. This is increasingly important due to the role of social media in shaping public discourse. The course's focus on social network analysis is key for the tracking of how trends spread and to understand what influence is like in online environments. Further, the course also touches on misinformation and platform manipulation, which are common challenges for policy analysts. The course may be useful in policy areas such as public health or education, where persuasive interventions are key to achieving goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Online Influence and Persuasion.

Influence, New and Expanded

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Cornerstone text in understanding the psychology of persuasion. It outlines six key principles of influence that are highly relevant to online environments. Reading this book will provide a solid foundation for understanding how persuasion works and how it can be applied (or resisted) in online contexts. It is often used as a textbook in marketing and psychology courses.

Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of...

Hardcover

(中文) Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of...

Paperback

The Disappearance of Childhood

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Explores how the rise of television and visual media has transformed public discourse. While not directly about social media, it provides valuable context for understanding how media formats influence our attention spans and critical thinking skills. It is useful for understanding the broader context of online influence and the challenges of maintaining informed public discourse. This book is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference.

The Disappearance of Childhood

Kindle Edition

Online Influence and Persuasion

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Online influence analysis: mixed experience

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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