PSY 321 Persuasion & Attitudes Dr. Sanchez. Today’s Plan: Persuasion Elaboration Likelihood Model: Last Week Persuasive Cues Self-persuasion Persuasion.

PSY 321 PSY 321

Persuasion & AttitudesPersuasion & Attitudes

Dr. SanchezDr. Sanchez

Today’s Plan:Today’s Plan:PersuasionPersuasion

Elaboration Likelihood Model: Last WeekElaboration Likelihood Model: Last Week

Persuasive CuesPersuasive Cues

Self-persuasionSelf-persuasion

Persuasion and CulturePersuasion and Culture

Film on advertising and persuasionFilm on advertising and persuasion

MessageMessage

High motivation

& ability

________(focus on

quality of message)

Lasting change

Low motivation

& ability

Temporary change

_________(focus on

surfaceFeatures)

PersuasionAttempt

AudienceFactors

ProcessingApproach

PersuasionOutcome

Features of the Source of a Message that can Serve as Persuasive Cues

• Expertise

• _________

• Likeability– attractiveness– similarity– in-group status

• Number of sources

Other Persuasive Cues

• Number of arguments

• Reactions of others- “social proof”

Other Persuasive Cues

• Number of arguments

• Reactions of others- “social proof”

• Mood– classical conditioning– “how do I feel about it?” misattribution– non-conscious mimicry and facial feedback

Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning

Neutral stimulus (Pavlov’s bell)

Positively eval. stimulus (meat)

Positive feelings (salivation)

Presented in conjunction

with

Later...

Previously neutral stimulus (bell)

Positive feelings (salivation)

Persuasion Context….Persuasion Context….

Attitude Object Well liked object, setting, person

Positive feelings

Presented in conjunction

with

Later...

Attitude Object Positive feelings, favorable attitude

Balance PrinciplesBalance Principles

Heider’s Balance TheoryHeider’s Balance Theory

balance: occurs when we ______ with people balance: occurs when we ______ with people we like and when we ______ with people we we like and when we ______ with people we don’t likedon’t like

_______ is aversive_______ is aversive

Balance PrinciplesBalance Principles

you

your friend

Dalai Lama

+

+

+

Balanced triad

Balance PrinciplesBalance Principles

Heider’s Balance TheoryHeider’s Balance Theory balance: occurs when we agree with people we like balance: occurs when we agree with people we like

and when we disagree with people we don’t likeand when we disagree with people we don’t like imbalance is aversiveimbalance is aversive

you

your friend

Dalai Lama

you

your friend

Dalai Lama

+

+

+

+

+

-

Balanced triad Imbalanced triad

Balance Principles

you

your friend

Dalai Lama

you

your friend

Dalai Lama

+

+

+

-

+

-

Balanced triad Balance restored…

Balance Principles

you

your friend

Dalai Lama

you

your (ex)friend

Dalai Lama

+

+

+

+

-

-

Balanced triad Balance restored…

Persuasion By Persuasion By CommunicationCommunication

What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective Source?Source?

Believable sources must be _________ Believable sources must be _________ sources.sources.

The source must have two distinct The source must have two distinct characteristics:characteristics: ______________________________ ______________________________

Who Do You Trust?Who Do You Trust?

What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective Source? Source? (cont.)(cont.)

How likable is the communicator?How likable is the communicator?

Two factors influence a source’s likability:Two factors influence a source’s likability: The similarity between the source and the The similarity between the source and the

audience.audience. The physical attractiveness of the source.The physical attractiveness of the source.

Chaiken (1979)Chaiken (1979)

0

10

20

30

40

50

Percentage Who Signed

Petition

Unattractive Attractive

Attractiveness of Student Assistant

Is The Source More Important Is The Source More Important Than The Message?Than The Message?

It depends…It depends…

How personally relevant is the message How personally relevant is the message for the recipient?for the recipient?

Source Source vs.Message: vs.Message: The Role of The Role of Audience Audience

InvolvementInvolvement

Petty, Cacioppo, & Goldman, 1981

The Sleeper EffectThe Sleeper Effect

What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective Message?Message?

How should the argument be presented to How should the argument be presented to maximize its strength?maximize its strength?

Are longer messages better?Are longer messages better? If _________, the longer the message, the If _________, the longer the message, the

more valid it must be.more valid it must be. If _________, message length is a two-edged If _________, message length is a two-edged

sword.sword.

Does presentation order matter?Does presentation order matter?

Table 6.2: Effects of Table 6.2: Effects of Presentation Order and Timing Presentation Order and Timing

on Persuasionon Persuasion

What Makes an Effective What Makes an Effective Message? Message? (cont.)(cont.)

Should the message use fear appeals or Should the message use fear appeals or scare tactics?scare tactics? How strong is the argument?How strong is the argument? Does the message contain reassuring Does the message contain reassuring

advice?advice?

Are appeals to positive emotions Are appeals to positive emotions effective?effective? People are “soft touches” when they are in a People are “soft touches” when they are in a

good mood.good mood.

Why Might Positive Why Might Positive Feelings Activate the Feelings Activate the

Peripheral Route?Peripheral Route?A positive emotional state is cognitively A positive emotional state is cognitively distracting, impairing ability to think distracting, impairing ability to think critically.critically.When in a good mood, assume all is well When in a good mood, assume all is well and become lazy processors of and become lazy processors of information.information.When happy, become motivated not to When happy, become motivated not to spoil the mood by thinking critically about spoil the mood by thinking critically about new information.new information.

Subliminal MessagesSubliminal Messages

Can subliminal messages influence Can subliminal messages influence behavior?behavior?

We do perceive subliminal cues.We do perceive subliminal cues. But the cues will not persuade to take action But the cues will not persuade to take action

unless one is already motivated to do so.unless one is already motivated to do so.

Figure 6.9: Subliminal Influence Figure 6.9: Subliminal Influence

Strahan et al., 2002.

Audience FactorsAudience Factors

Very few people are consistently easy or Very few people are consistently easy or difficult to persuade.difficult to persuade.

People differ in extent to which become People differ in extent to which become involved and take the central route.involved and take the central route. Need for CognitionNeed for Cognition: How much does one : How much does one

enjoy effortful cognitive activities?enjoy effortful cognitive activities?

Table 6.3: Need for Cognition Table 6.3: Need for Cognition Scale: Sample ItemsScale: Sample Items

Figure 6.10: Informational and Figure 6.10: Informational and Image-Oriented Ads: The Role Image-Oriented Ads: The Role

of Self-Monitoringof Self-Monitoring

From J.M. Snyder and K.G. DeBono (1985) "Appeals to Image and Claims About Quality: Understanding the Psychology of Advertising," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 586-597. Copyright (c) 1985 by the American Psychological Association. Adapted with permission.

Audience Factors Audience Factors (cont.)(cont.)

To what extent does the message meet To what extent does the message meet the psychological needs of the audience?the psychological needs of the audience?

Cultural factors play a subtle but important Cultural factors play a subtle but important role. role. e.g., individualistic vs. collectivistic messagese.g., individualistic vs. collectivistic messages

Table 6.4: Strategies for Table 6.4: Strategies for Resisting PersuasionResisting Persuasion

Jacks and Cameron, 2003.

Audience Factors Audience Factors (cont.)(cont.)

Has the audience been forewarned?Has the audience been forewarned?Advanced knowledge allows time to Advanced knowledge allows time to develop counterarguments.develop counterarguments. Inoculation hypothesisInoculation hypothesis

Being forewarned elicits a motivational Being forewarned elicits a motivational reaction.reaction. Psychological reactancePsychological reactance

Effects of forewarning depends on Effects of forewarning depends on personal importance of message.personal importance of message.

Persuasion by Our Own Persuasion by Our Own Actions*Actions*

Role Playing: All the World’s Role Playing: All the World’s a Stagea Stage

What happens when we engage in What happens when we engage in attitude-discrepant behavior?attitude-discrepant behavior?

Why does role-playing lead to enduring Why does role-playing lead to enduring attitude change?attitude change?

Why can changes in behavior lead to Why can changes in behavior lead to changes in attitude?changes in attitude?

Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Cognitive Dissonance Theory: The Classic VersionThe Classic Version

We are motivated by a desire for We are motivated by a desire for ______________________.______________________.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Inconsistent Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Inconsistent ________ arouse psychological tension ________ arouse psychological tension that people become motivated to reduce.that people become motivated to reduce. Can lead to irrational and sometimes Can lead to irrational and sometimes

maladaptive behavior.maladaptive behavior. Insufficient justification for behavior can lead Insufficient justification for behavior can lead

to dissonanceto dissonance

Table 6.5: Ways to Reduce Table 6.5: Ways to Reduce DissonanceDissonance

The Dissonance ClassicThe Dissonance ClassicFestinger & Carlsmith, 1959Festinger & Carlsmith, 1959

Justifying Attitude-Discrepant Justifying Attitude-Discrepant BehaviorBehavior

Subjects experienced cognitive Subjects experienced cognitive dissonance because had _____________.dissonance because had _____________.

Contributions of Festinger & Carlsmith’s Contributions of Festinger & Carlsmith’s classic study: classic study: Showed the phenomenon of self-persuasion.Showed the phenomenon of self-persuasion. Contradicted the accepted belief that big Contradicted the accepted belief that big

rewards produce greater change.rewards produce greater change.

Justifying Effort: Coming to Like Justifying Effort: Coming to Like What We Suffer ForWhat We Suffer For

We alter our attitudes to justify our We alter our attitudes to justify our suffering.suffering.

Aronson & Mills’ (1959) “embarrassment Aronson & Mills’ (1959) “embarrassment test” studytest” study

The more we pay for something, the more The more we pay for something, the more we will come to like it.we will come to like it.

Justifying Difficult Decisions: Justifying Difficult Decisions: When Good Choices Get Even When Good Choices Get Even

BetterBetterWhenever we make difficult decisions, we Whenever we make difficult decisions, we feel dissonance.feel dissonance.

We rationalize the correctness of our We rationalize the correctness of our decision by exaggerating:decision by exaggerating: The positive features of the chosen alternativeThe positive features of the chosen alternative The negative features of the unchosen The negative features of the unchosen

alternative.alternative.

Figure 6.12: Necessary Figure 6.12: Necessary Conditions for the Arousal and Conditions for the Arousal and

Reduction of DissonanceReduction of Dissonance

Alternative Routes to Self-Alternative Routes to Self-PersuasionPersuasion

Self-Perception Theory: Self-persuasion Self-Perception Theory: Self-persuasion through observation of own behavior.through observation of own behavior.

Impression Management Theory: What Impression Management Theory: What matters is not a motive to be consistent matters is not a motive to be consistent but rather a motive to appear consistent.but rather a motive to appear consistent.

Self-Affirmation Theory: Dissonance Self-Affirmation Theory: Dissonance situations create a threat to the self.situations create a threat to the self.

Figure 6.13: When Self-Figure 6.13: When Self-Affirmation FailsAffirmation Fails

Galinsky et al., 2000.

Theories of Self-Persuasion: Theories of Self-Persuasion: Critical ComparisonsCritical Comparisons