Chapter 5: Persuasion Flashcards
Information-based persuasive communication changes?
attitude
Cognitive response theory??
- a model of persuasive that assumes that the impact of a message on attitudes depends on the though invoked by the message
- the message itself can evoke + or - thoughts
Cognitive response theory:
-positive thoughts can lead to? Negative?
- positive thoughts lead to adoption of advocated position.
- negative thoughts lead to the rejection of the advocated position
- *bases on strong and weak arguments
What are the two models of persuasive messages?
- systematic-heuristic model
- elaboration likelihood model
Persuasive messages:
- Systematic-heuristic model?
- two types of processing can occur in response to a persuasive message….. systematic processing = thought provoking …heuristic processing= mental shortcut (don’t pay much attention to the message)
Persuasive messages:
- Elaboration likelihood model?
- specific the conditions under which people think carefully about the content of message.
- *two types of processing = central route to persuasion and the peripheral route to persuasion
Persuasive messages:
- Elaboration likelihood model:
L> central route to persuasion?
- focusing on the argument
- if those arguments are strong and compelling, persuasion is likely. If they are weak arguments, thoughtful people will notice that the arguments aren’t very compelling and will counter-argue.
Persuasive messages:
- Elaboration likelihood model:
L> the peripheral route to persuasion?
- looking at other things
- focusing on cues that trigger acceptance without much thinking. In these situations, easily understood familiar statements are more persuasive than novel statements with the same meaning.
- occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues such as a speaker’s attractiveness **
What did Petty et al (1995) find with respect to the different persuasion routes?
- the central route processing can lead to more enduring change than the peripheral route
- by not thinking superficially but deeply, any changed attitude will more likely persist, resist attack and influence behaviour
- persuasion via the peripheral route often produces superficial and temporary attitude change.
Explain the study by Hauser (2005)
- study assessing the effectiveness of abstinence education find some increases in a titles supporting abstinence but little long term impact on sexual behaviour.
- * changing attitude is easier than changing behaviour*
Explain Albarracin et al, 2003 study
- HIV prevention education tends to have more effect on attitudes toward condoms than on condom use.
In both Albarracin and Hauser’s studies what was found to be shared between the two?
- changing behaviour as well as attitudes seems to require people to actively process and rehearse their own convictions
What is persuasion?
the process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes or behaviour
Culture shaping usually occurs how?
top down ……
Surveys before the war with Israel?(think Canadians vs Americans)
- found that Canadians opposed military action against Iraq by about 2:1 while Americans favoured it by the same margin (Burkholder, 2003)..Once the war began support for it rose for a time to more than 3:1 in the US. Except for Israel, people surveyed in all other countries were opposed to the attack.
Compare systematic processing and heuristic processing! Which are analogous to the processes of Elaboration likelihood model?
- systematic processing occurs when people attend to and think about the message (central route is analogous to this)
- Heuristic processing occurs when people rely on simple cues rather than the strength of the arguments (peripheral route is analogous to this)
Motivation and Ability:
- Systematic/central route processing occurs when?
- recipient of message is motivated to expend the energy needed to process the information
- recipient of message has the ability to process the information
- more enduring attitude change = systematic/central vs peripheral BUT they can change back in either route
Heuristic Persuasion (peripheral route): - attitude change results from?
-cues that indicate that the position advocated in a message is valid
- relies on factors other than the strength of the argument presented
cues = relevance of the message, credibility of the communicator, likability of the communicator, attractiveness of the communicator and positive mood and emotion.
Credibility?
- believability
- A credible communicator is perceived as both expert and trustworthy
- *the effects of source credibility diminishes after month or so
Sleeper effect?
- a delayed impact of a message, occurs when we remember the message but forget a reason for discounting it.
How to appear credible?
- speak confidently
- say things the audience agrees with
How to appear trustworthy?
- speech style affects this
Hemsley et al (1978)-> if while testifying, videotaped witnesses looked their questioner straight in the eye instead of gazing downward, they impressed more people as believable - it is also higher if the audience believes the communicator is not trying to persuade them
-also if they argue against their own self interest
Norman Miller et al (1976) and trustworthiness and credibility?
- these increase when people talk fast. People who listened to tape-recorded messages rated fast speakers (about 190 words per minute) as more objective, intelligent and knowledgeable than slow speakers. They also found rapid speakers more persuasive.
- *communicators gain credibility if they appear to be expert and trustworthy.
Attractiveness of the communicator?
- having qualities that appeal to an audience An appealing communicator (often someone similar to the audience) is most persuasive on matters of subjective presence.
- it can exist in many forms such as physical….arguments especially emotional ones are more influential if they come from beautiful people.
- similarity - we tend to like people that are similar to us
- this is why sales person mimic and mirror!
- people tend to respond better if the message comes from someone in our group
Factor X? (Goethals and Nelson, 1973)
-is whether the topic is one of subjective preference or objective reality. When the choice concerns matters of personal value, taste or way of life similar communications have the most influence. But on judgements of fact - confirmation of relief by a dissimilar person does more to boost confidence. A dissimilar person provides a more independent judgement.
Rational vs emotional appeals?
- Cacioppo and Hovland study
- well educated/analytical people are more response to rational appeals that are less educated or less analytical people.
Rational vs emotional appeals?
-Chaiken and Petty study
(think about the two routes and the type of people that use them)
-thoughtful, involved audiences travel the central route; they are most responsive to reasoned arguments. Disinterested audiences travel the peripheral route; they are more affected by how much they like the communicator.
Rational vs emotional appeals?
- the importance of how peoples attitudes were formed?
- when peoples initial attitudes are formed primarily through emotion, they are more persuaded by later emotional appeals; when their initial attitudes are formed primarily through reason, they are more persuaded by later intellectual arguments.
What are the size persuasion principles?
- authority
- liking
- social proof
- reciprocity
- consistency
- scarcity
Persuasion Principles:
- authority?
- people defer to credible experts
Persuasion Principles:
- liking?
- people respond more affirmatively to those they like
Persuasion Principles:
- social proof?
- people allow the example of others to validate how to think, feel and act.
Persuasion Principles:
- reciprocity?
- people feel obliged to repay in kind what they’ve received.