persuasion Flashcards
What are the two main types of strategies identified for increasing the effectiveness of a persuasive message?
Alpha strategies and Omega strategies
Alpha strategies aim to overcome resistance by increasing approach forces, while Omega strategies aim to reduce resistance by decreasing avoidance forces.
What do alpha strategies in persuasion aim to do?
Overcome resistance to persuasion by increasing approach forces
They provide reasons for change, maximizing argument strength and using consensus information.
What do omega strategies in persuasion aim to do?
Reduce or neutralize resistance by decreasing avoidance forces
They address resistance by offering counterarguments and using comparisons to enhance desirability.
List three communicator (source) factors that increase persuasiveness.
- Attractiveness
- Likability
- Credibility
What factors affect a communicator’s credibility?
- Expertise
- Trustworthiness
Expertise is determined by perceived knowledge, skill, and experience; trustworthiness is influenced by fairness, honesty, and intent.
How does expertise affect a communicator’s persuasiveness?
Communicators are more persuasive when perceived as having adequate knowledge, skill, and experience
Example: A basketball player is more persuasive for athletic shoes than non-athletic products.
What is the sleeper effect in persuasion?
The phenomenon where the impact of high- and low-credible communicators does not persist over time
People tend to remember the message but forget its source.
True or False: Trustworthiness of a communicator is influenced by their intent.
True
Fill in the blank: Communicators are considered trustworthy when they are perceived as being _______.
fair, honest, and unbiased
What is a key factor that enhances the persuasiveness of a celebrity in advertising?
Congruence between the celebrity’s background and the product
A celebrity’s relevance to the product enhances their effectiveness as a spokesperson.
What are the three message factors that affect the persuasiveness of a message?
Message discrepancy, presentation order, and timing, and fear arousal
What is the relationship between attitude change and message discrepancy?
An inverted-U shape, with the greatest change at moderate discrepancy
How does communicator credibility affect the relationship between attitude change and message discrepancy?
For low-credible communicators, the relationship is inverted-U; for high-credible communicators, it is linear
What occurs when both sides of an argument are presented back-to-back and attitudes are assessed after a period?
Primacy effect
What is the primacy effect?
The first side presented has the greatest effect on attitudes
What is the recency effect?
The second side presented has the greatest impact when attitudes are assessed soon after the second presentation
What type of effects occur when two sides of an argument are presented back-to-back and attitudes are measured immediately?
No consistent primacy or recency effects
What did research find about fear arousal and its effectiveness in producing attitude change?
Inconsistent results; moderate fear arousal is often considered most effective
According to a meta-analysis, what conditions make fear appeals most effective?
High level of fear, efficacy message, negative consequences described
What recipient factors have been linked to susceptibility to persuasion?
Self-esteem, intelligence, and age
What is the relationship between self-esteem and influenceability?
Inverted U-shaped; moderate self-esteem is most susceptible
What kind of relationship exists between intelligence and influenceability?
Linear; higher susceptibility with lower intelligence
What U-shaped relationship has been observed regarding age and susceptibility to persuasion?
Adolescents/young adults and older adults are more easily persuaded than middle-aged adults
What is McGuire’s attitude inoculation hypothesis?
A method to increase resistance to persuasion by exposing individuals to weak arguments and counterarguments
Fill in the blank: An effective way to ‘immunize’ people against attempts to change their attitudes is to provide them with _______ along with counterarguments.
weak arguments
What is behavioral economics?
An approach to understanding decision making and behavior that integrates behavioral science with economic principles
Behavioral economics addresses topics such as materialism, scarcity, and loss aversion.
Define materialism in the context of behavioral economics.
A set of values and goals focused on wealth, possessions, image, and status, often conflicting with personal and spiritual growth
Materialism is negatively related to personal well-being.
What did the meta-analysis by Dittmar et al. (2014) find regarding materialism?
Prioritization of materialistic values strongly correlates with:
* Compulsive buying behavior
* Engaging in risky health behaviors
* Negative self-appraisal
* Negative affect
How does the measurement of materialism affect its relationship with personal well-being?
The relationship is stronger when measured with a multidimensional scale than with a scale focused only on money and possessions
An example of a multidimensional scale is the Material Values Scale.
What is the Material Values Scale?
A scale that assesses the centrality of acquiring material goods to a person’s life and beliefs about acquisition’s effects on happiness and success
What is scarcity according to Mullainathan and Shafir (2014)?
The lack of something required to fulfill a need, leading to preoccupation with that need and a reduction in mental bandwidth
What are the two components of mental bandwidth?
Cognitive capacity and executive control
Cognitive capacity involves problem-solving and logical reasoning, while executive control involves planning and attention shifting.
What is a ‘scarcity trap’?
A situation characterized by preoccupation with an unfilled need and self-defeating behaviors that perpetuate scarcity
What does loss aversion refer to?
The principle that losses loom larger than gains, meaning the displeasure from losing something is greater than the pleasure from gaining the same amount
According to Kahneman and Tversky, how much more powerful is the aggravation from losing money compared to the satisfaction from gaining it?
About twice as powerful
In the coin flip bet example, when are people more likely to accept the bet?
When they’ll lose $100 if tails but gain $200 if heads
What is the premise of Kahneman and Tversky’s prospect theory?
It addresses how risky decisions are made, including the concept of loss aversion
