Attitudes (persuasion)

Question 1

What is an attitude?

Answer 1

beliefs, feelings and behavioural tendencies affect our evaluations of the world and people

Question 2

What are the 3 components of persuasion?

Answer 2

1. who is the source?
2. what is the message? how’s it being delivered?
3. who is the target?

Question 3

What are the 2 source characteristics?

Answer 3

1. credibility (expertise and trustworthiness)
2. non-verbal cues (body language)

Question 4

What are the 2 cues in credibility?

Answer 4

Accepting cue - this person is credible so I’ll believe them
Discounting cue - this person is not credible so i’m wary of what they say

Question 5

When first given messages which sources are most persuading?

Answer 5

High credibility sources

Question 6

What is the dissociation hypothesis? What does it result in?

Answer 6

Remember the message but forget the source
Sleeper effect - more persuaded by low credibility sources later
Normal decay - less persuaded by high credibility sources later

Question 7

What specific criteria is needed for sleeper effect to occur?

Answer 7

1. discounting cue must be strong
2. message alone is persuasive
3. enough time must pass to forget source

Question 8

What is the fast talking effect?

Answer 8

faster you speak, more persuasive you are

Question 9

What are 2 target characteristics?

Answer 9

1. non-verbal cues
2. distraction

Question 10

What was the result of nodding/shaking head experiment?

Answer 10

If nodding head, more likely to agree with argument; if shaking, less likely to agree

Question 11

When do targets mirror source’s body language?

Answer 11

when they like the source

Question 12

According to learning theory, why does distraction increase persuasion?

Answer 12

pairing unattractive message with enjoyable distraction increases message’s attractiveness (wrong)

Question 13

According to counterarguments theory, why does distraction increase persuasion?

Answer 13

while distracted, can not come up with counterarguments to the message

Question 14

Is attitude change caused by distractions long-lasting?

Answer 14

No (can think of counterarguments later)

Question 15

What is the elaboration likelihood model?

Answer 15

2 ways of processing messages:
1. central route - conscious, deliberate, controlled, critical thinking
2. peripheral route - heuristics, automatic, attractiveness cues

Question 16

What is the heuristic systematic model of persuasion?

Answer 16

choose processing route depending on importance of accurate decision making (central - accurate; peripheral - easier)

Question 17

What was the findings of the paper copier experiment?

Answer 17

If a large request, use central route and need real reason
If small request, use peripheral route and don’t need actual reason (just use word “because”)