Introduction: persuasion, attitude, attitude measurement

Question 1

Paradigm cases

Answer 1

straightforward, uncontroversial example of persuasion. Ex- table, chairs as an exemplary cases of furniture, rather than a poof

Question 2

How do shared features of paradigm cases help provide clarification of a concept?

Answer 2

We look at exemplary cases, identify shared features of paradigm cases. This is better than just saying what a concept isn’t

Question 3

Borderline cases

Answer 3

cases that have some aspects of paradigm cases, but their status as an exemplary case is often debated

Question 4

What are the shared measures of exemplary cases of persuasion?

Answer 4

Communication to persuade
Intent to persuade of a specific thing, can’t be accidental
Mental state is changed or reaffirmed
Attempt- successful attempt to persuade
Free will of persuadee to go along with persuasion

Question 5

What’s an attitude?

Answer 5

General evaluation of an object

Question 6

Semantic differential scales: describe, type of method to test if attitudes have been changed, example of questions, advantage, disadvantage

Answer 6

• ranking one concept in series of scales (can be numerical)with bipolar adjective pairs
• explicit
• Ex- Chase bank, good- bad, favorable- unfavorable
• advantage: easy to construct, only have to change the concept, not the questions
• disadvantage: doesn’t give a reason why respondents have these attitudes

Question 7

Single-item attitude measures describe, type of method to test if attitudes have been changed, example of questions, advantage, disadvantage

Answer 7

• respondent presented with a question or statement, has to rank with bipolar adjective pairs
• explicit
• Ex- How satisfied are with you with your last purchase of nike shoes? very satisfied—– not satisfied
• advantage: efficient, easy to use, used in public opinion polling
• disadvantage: potential weak reliability because a single question doesn’t provide good representation of persuadee’s attitude

Question 8

Quasi-explicit belief-based attitude measures: describe, type of method to test if attitudes have been changed, example of questions, advantage, disadvantage

Answer 8

• respondent presented with belief statements, asked to agree/ disagree with prompts (can assign numerical values to scale), or checking belief statements they agree on
• explicit
• advantage: can know the beliefs that shape their attitudes
• disadvantage: have to construct new belief based questions specific to each concept

Question 9

example of implicit means of assessing attitudes

Answer 9

monitoring brain activity, pupil dilation

Question 10

Information- test measures of attitude: describe, type of method to test if attitudes have been changed, example of questions, advantage, disadvantage

Answer 10

• we know that people’s attitudes influence how they make factual judgements, so by asking people factual questions and seeing how they answer, we can determine their attitudes
• error choice technique- present respondents with 2 wrong answers, whichever they pick is closer to their actual belief/ attitude
• implicit- so people don’t try to hide attitudes/ beliefs

Question 11

How can results from information techniques be used in known-group procedure?

Answer 11

• known group procedure is when you know the characteristics (beliefs/ attitudes) of the people in the group
• So if you know from information-test that people who believe in X choose answer A, and people who believe in Y choose answer B, you can compare that with your findings from known-group procedure

Question 12

How is the effectiveness of persuasion assessed?

Answer 12

Effective persuasion is assessed by examining if attitudes have been changed

Question 13

What are the three categories of testing if attitudes of been changed, and the effectiveness of persuasion?

Answer 13

1. Straightforward
   - before and after survey
   - experimental- control group, and other group exposed to advertisement
2. Less straightforward
   - see if beliefs have been changed ?
   - can also use quasi explicit measurement to see if beliefs have been changed
3. actual v perceived effects