Week 9 - Persuasion Flashcards
Two Models of Persuasion
- Heuristic-Systematic Model
2. Elaboration-Likelihood Model
Dual-Process Model of Persuasion: Heuristic-Systematic Model
Peripheral (Heuristic) Process
- Unconscious, fast, automatic
- Use of peripheral information or heuristics for evaluation
E.g. Source attractiveness, source expertise, number and length of arguments, consensus
Central (Systematic) Process
- Conscious, slower, more deliberate
- Use of central or systematic processing of information for evaluation
E.g. Argument quality (Does the argument make sense? Is it convincing?)
Dual-Process Model of Persuasion: Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
The basic idea: When you see a message, can either think about it a lot or a little
Thinking a lot about it means you have elaborated on the message; “taking the central route”
Thinking a little about it means you have not elaborated on the message; “taking the peripheral route”
ELM lists factors that determine how likely you will elaborate or not.
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Factors that influence elaboration -> The Process
-> Factors that promote persuasion
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Factors that influence elaboration: -Issue is personally relevant. -Knowledgeable about the issue. The Process: -Central (Systematic) Factors that promote persuasion: -Argument quality
Factors that influence elaboration: -Issue is not personally relevant. -Tired or distracted. -Message is hard to understand. The Process: -Peripheral (Heuristic) Factors that promote persuasion: -Source attractiveness, expertise -No. and length of arguments -Consensus
Two “routes” to persuasion: Central and Peripheral
Central:
- Used when there is high ability and motivation to “elaborate”.
- If you are not distracted and you care about the topic, you will pay attention to the logic/rationale of the message
- Arguments, statistics, numbers, logic
Peripheral:
- Used when there is low ability and motivation to “elaborate”.
- If you are distracted and do not care about the topic, you will not pay a lot of attention to the message itself; will use superficial cues
- Celebrity endorsements, attractiveness, emotions, pictures
When Does Argument Strength or Source Expertise Matter?
- Argument strength matters when relevance of issue is high
- Source expertise matters when relevance of issue is low
Elements of Persuasion
Who said What to Whom
Who? -Message Source
What?- Message Content
Whom?- Message Receiver
WHO: Source Characteristics
- Attractiveness
More attractive people are more persuasive
Halo Effect: People you like (e.g., good looking people, famous people, close other) are assumed to have other good qualities as well - Credibility
Are the sources reliable or not?
Experts are more persuasive than non-experts because we trust them more - . Certainty
Does the person express his/her views with confidence?
Sources that express higher confidence and conviction when communicating their views are more persuasive.
- Credibility
The Sleeper Effect: Messages from unreliable sources tend to be rejected initially, but over time become accepted
The message and the (unreliable) source are separate pieces of information.
Initially stored together, but over time they can become dissociated
No longer remember that you should “discount” the message, and may start to believe the message.
Political smear campaigns: Voters are often exposed to negative info about candidates.
Note: The sleeper effect only occurs if the unreliable source is known AFTER reading the message, not before.
WHAT: Message Characteristics
- Message quality
Higher quality messages are more persuasive
Features of high quality message
They are straightforward, clear, and logical
Conclusions are explicit in the message (e.g., here is the take-away…)
Sources argue against their own interest (e.g., a prison inmate advocating longer prison sentence)
WHAT: Message Characteristics
- Message vividness: More vivid messages are more persuasive
Identifiable victim effect: Messages that focus on a single, vivid individual are more persuasive than fact-based messages
Fear appeals generally work as long as they include efficacy statements (instructions)
i.e. how to quit, how to change behaviour
WHOM: Receiver Characteristics
- Age: Young people are more persuadable than old people
Why? Older ppl have more life experience (rely on their schemas more)
WHOM: Receiver Characteristics
- Mood: Feeling negative or positive mood increases persuasion
Strong emotions -> more persuasion
Sad or depressed -> greater processing of pessimistic and counter-attitudinal messages
Happy -> greater processing of optimistic and pro-attitudinal messages
Guilt -> more persuasion when message conveys how to reduce the guilt (e.g., donating to the poor).
WHOM: Receiver Characteristics
- Need for Cognition: The degree to which someone thinks deeply about things
High NFC people are persuaded by central cues
Low NFC people are persuaded by peripheral cues
