Test 2 Flashcards
(72 cards)
Persuasion
using verbal arguments to change attitudes and behavior
Attitude (and earlier def)
a positive or negative feeling about a person, thing, or idea
Earlier definition:
- Affective: feelings about an attitude object (thing, idea, person)
- Cognitive: beliefs about an attitude object
- Behavioral: predisposition or act
Measurement of attitudes
self reports
covert (unobtrusive)
IAT
Self-reports
simply ask participants about their attitudes
Adv: easy, straightforward
Disadv: social desirability bias- can minimize with bogus pipeline
Covert (unobtrusive)
participants cannot control- includes body language, physiological, deception
Adv: social desirability less likely
Disadv: difficult, limited
Implicit Association Test (IAT)
with computer- measure reaction times making associations
Adv: participants cannot control- social desirability unlikely
Disadv: difficult, need computer
How do people process persuasive messages?
Petty & Cacioppo: 2 routes (logical? Fact based?) Central route Peripheral route Chaiken: Systematic (like central processing) Heuristic (like peripheral processing)
Central route
careful analysis of arguments
Peripheral route
little attention to the merits of arguments- influenced by simple cues (ex: attractiveness of the communicator)
Systematic route
(like central processing): careful evaluation of arguments
Heuristic route
(like peripheral processing): superficial assessment of content - use simple rules of thumb (ex: agree with experts)
What determines the route (type) of processing?
Motivation of the recipient:
- High (relevant to target): central (systematic) processing
- Low: peripheral (heuristic) processing
Ability of the recipient to understand the communication
- High: central (systematic) processing
- Low: peripheral (heuristic) processing
Consequences of route (type) of processing
Central (systematic) processing produces:
More enduring changes in attitude
More resistance to counterpersuasion
Components of a persuasive communication
the influence of a persuasive appeal depends on “who says what to whom” Source (who) Message (what) Audience (to whom) Channel (via which mode)
Source of persuasion
- Attractiveness (likeableness): influence via the peripheral (heuristic) route
- Credibility: expertise and trustworthiness
- —Credible source more persuasive
- Sleeper effect
Sleeper effect
message from a source that lacks credibility initially ineffective but with time produces significant attitude change– dissociate source and message
Message of persuasion
Fear positive emotion anecdotes or facts one side or both sides rhetorical questions fast talking
fear in a message
Fear produces mixed results
LOW fear greatest change in children’s dental hygiene (children)
HIGH fear greatest reduction in cigarette smoking (adults)
- Why the discrepant findings?
—-Inverted U-shape function
—-High fear works when elaborate instructions to avoid the fearful consequences are also provided
Positive emotion in message
emphasizing positive consequences of good dental hygiene more effective than fear
Anecdotes or facts? in message
anecdotes that present vivid images are more persuasive
One side or both sides? in message
depends on:
Whether audience initially agrees or disagrees
Audience’s knowledge
2 sided is better if they’re educated about the issue
Rhetorical questions in message
intensifies audience’s reaction
If audience initially agrees, then enhances persuasion - if audience initially disagrees, then it backfires
Enhances effectiveness of strong arguments, but weakens effectiveness of weak arguments
Fast talking in message
makes:
Strong arguments less persuasive
Weak arguments more persuasive
Audience of persuasion
No reliable, simple effects found
Often interact with other variables:
Intelligent people are less easily persuaded than less intelligent people when they receive a simple message but are more persuaded by complex messages
- need for cognition
