Persuasion and attitude change

Question 1

Ads Example

Answer 1

we are more likely to buy something when the ads show famous people

Question 2

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Answer 2

disposition OR context -> ability and motivation for effortful cognition -> “central” or “peripheral” route to persuasion

*central route (“slow”) systematic processing of message -> possible persuasion (depending on quality of topic-relevant information in message)

*peripheral route (“fast”) focus on superficial heuristics -> possible persuasion (depending on superficial features of the message or its source)

Question 3

Example: Personal Relevance

Answer 3

“In order to graduate, all students would be given a standardized test that they have to pass”
- weak vs strong arguments
- non-expert vs expert source
- low vs high personal relevance

results: Effect of the strength of the arguments, depending on personal relevance (highly depended on personal relevance)

results: effect of the expertise of the source of those arguments, depending on personal relevance (expertise did not matter, only personal relevance)

Question 4

High Personal Relevance Results

Answer 4

• uses slow thinking
• ignoring superficial details, focus on quality of argument and personal relevance

Question 5

Low Personal Relevance Results

Answer 5

• fast thinking process
• focus on superficial details (who the person presenting the strong or weak argument)
• peripheral route

Question 6

Other things that affect the “route” to persuasion

Answer 6

• whether or not it’s mostly just a matter of subjective preference
• mood state (happy people more likely to be persuaded through peripheral route, while sad people central route)
• time pressure (media matters: reading a magazine vs. seeing an ad)
• anything that affects cognitive capacity (when using up cognitive capacity -> may use peripheral route)

Question 7

Message framing and persuasion

Answer 7

• “Gain-framed” messages
• “Loss-framed” messages

Question 8

Gain-framed messages

Answer 8

• emphasis on attaining desirable outcomes
• “Good” messages
• “Eat fruit and be skinny!”

Question 9

Loss-framed messages

Answer 9

• emphasis on avoiding undesirable outcomes
• “Don’t eat candy or you’ll get fat!”

Question 10

Approach-oriented or avoidance-oriented mindset

Answer 10

relative strength of two kinds of motives:
- motives regulating behaviour toward opportunities and rewards
- motives regulating behaviour away from threats and punishments

Affected by:
- individual dispositions (differences between liberal and conservatives in NA)
- cultural background (differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures: avoidance-oriented)
- immediate context

Question 11

Immediate context

Answer 11

• recent success or failure; temporary salience of opportunities or dangers

Question 12

Flossing Ad Experiment

Answer 12

• gain-framed vs loss-framed message
• measure of participants’ approach- or avoidance-oriented mindset
• key outcome to measure: number of times flossing in subsequent weeks

results: *It depends on the person’s approach- or avoidance-oriented minset