C1 (Theories of persuasion): Hovland Yale

Question 1

What is the Hovland-Yale Theory of Persuasion?

Answer 1

Definition: A theory developed to understand how persuasive communication leads to attitude change.

Key Focus: Who says what to whom?
Source (Communicator) - WHO
Message (Content) - WHAT
Audience (Recipient) - TO WHOM

Question 2

Factor 1 - Communicator (Source)

Answer 2

Credibility + Attractive

Credibility: Communicators seen as credible (trustworthy, knowledgeable) are more persuasive.

Example: A doctor promoting health advice is more persuasive than a celebrity.

Attractiveness: Attractive communicators are more persuasive due to the halo effect (we assume they have other desirable qualities).

Question 3

Factor 2 - Message

Answer 3

Types of Messages:
Two-sided arguments: More effective for educated audiences as they consider both pros and cons.

Repetition: Repeating messages increases familiarity and effectiveness.

Fear-based messages: Effective when fear is moderate; too much fear can hide the intended message.

Question 4

Factor 3 — Audience (Recipient)

Answer 4

Intelligence: More intelligent audiences prefer two-sided arguments.

Less intelligent audiences prefer one-sided arguments, as they are easier to process.

Cultural Variations: Audience preferences vary across cultures (e.g., American vs. Asian preferences).

Self-Esteem: People with low self-esteem are more easily persuaded.

Question 5

Evaluation of Hovland-Yale Theory

Answer 5

✅ Strength
Supporting Research: Campaigns show that combining source credibility, message strength, and audience tailoring can change behaviors (e.g., anti-smoking campaigns).

❌ Weakness
Temporal Validity: The theory is based on research from the 1950s. Modern views on attractiveness and cultural values may differ.