W6 Readings: B&B Ch. 11,12

Question 0

anchors

Answer 0

comparison points or points of reference. Lie at the center of the latitude of acceptance

Question 1

assimilation

Answer 1

the position advocated in a message is incorrectly perceived as being nearer to that of the audience than it is

Question 2

contrast

Answer 2

the position advocated in a message is incorrectly perceived to be further from that of the audience than it is

Question 3

curvilinear

Answer 3

evolution pattern in which, as one variable (discrepancy between message and audience’s attitude) gets larger, another variable (amt. of attitude change) first gets larger, then smaller.

Question 4

discrepancy

Answer 4

the difference between the position advocated in a message and the listener’s attitude

Question 5

discrepant

Answer 5

the position advocated in a message is different than the listener’s attitude

Question 6

discrepant

Answer 6

the position advocated in a message is different from the listener’s attitude

Question 7

involvement

Answer 7

relevance or importance of a topic to a listener

Question 8

latitude of acceptance

Answer 8

the range of message positions that are acceptable or plausible for an audience member

Question 9

latitude of non-commitment

Answer 9

the range of message positions that an audience member neither accepts nor rejects

Question 10

latitude of rejection

Answer 10

the range of message positions that a listener actively rejects

Question 11

2 components of Social Judgment/Involvement Theory that make it unique among consistency theories

Answer 11

1) listener judges how much the message agrees or disagrees with his/her own attitude
2) listener’s involvement in the topic of the persuasive message is an important factor in attitude change

reinforces the importance of the audience in persuasion

Question 12

What are the three latitudes of SJ/I Theory?

Answer 12

acceptance, non-commitment, rejection

Question 13

What are the 2 processes of perceptual errors in the SJ/I Theory?

Answer 13

assimilation, contrast

Question 14

SJ/I theory predicts that the greater the difference between the message and the listener’s existing attitude, the greater/lesser the persuasion

Answer 14

greater (to a certain point)

Question 15

more assimilation generally = more/less attitude change

Answer 15

less, because the message is already near the person’s attitude regarding the topic and they have less cause to change his/her attitude

Question 16

listeners who are less involved in a topic will have wider/narrower latitudes of acceptance and wider/narrower latitudes of non-commitment than those who are highly involved.

Answer 16

wider; narrower

Question 17

SJ/I theory predicts a ____ relationship between discrepancy and attitude change

Answer 17

curvilinear: as discrepancy increases, attitude change first increases then decreases

Question 18

SJ/I theory helps to explain the role of perception in persuasion, ignores message content

Answer 18

:)

Question 19

attitude toward behavior

Answer 19

degree to which the behavior is viewed as favorable or unfavorable

Question 20

behavioral intention

Answer 20

what a person would like to do, or plans to do

Question 21

belief strength

Answer 21

belief, potentially verifiable cognition (“facts”)

Question 22

evaluation

Answer 22

value, judgment of something’s worth

Question 23

motivation to comply

Answer 23

the extent to which a person thinks it is important to comply with the others’ norms or expectations

Question 24

normative beliefs

Answer 24

what a person believes the others want or expect that person to do

Question 25

perceived behavioral control

Answer 25

the extent to which a person believes that he or she can perform desired behavior

Question 26

subjective norms

Answer 26

the extent to which a person is aware of the expectations of others and is prepared to comply

Question 27

Theory of Reasoned Action predicts that behavioral intent is shaped by 2 factors:

Answer 27

1) our attitude toward the behavior

2) subjective norms

Question 28

2 components of attitude toward behavior

Answer 28

1) belief strength

2) evaluation (judgments of worth)

Question 29

2 components of subjective norms

Answer 29

1) normative beliefs (what I believe others want me to do)

2) motivation to comply (to what others want me to do)

Question 30

see Fig. 12.1 of Theory of Reasoned Action p. 194

Answer 30

:)

Question 31

6 ways to change the attitude toward a behavior

Answer 31

1) strengthen the belief strength of an attitude which supports your persuasive goal
2) strengthen the evaluation of an attitude which supports your persuasive goal
3) weaken the belief strength of an attitude that opposes your persuasive goal
4) weaken the evaluation of an attitude that opposes your persuasive goal
5) create new attitude with a belief strength and evaluation which supports your persuasive goal
6) remind our audience of a forgotten attitude with a belief strength and evaluation which supports your persuasive goal

Question 32

6 ways to change subjective norms

Answer 32

1) strengthen a normative belief which supports your persuasive goal
2) increase the motivation to comply with a norm which supports your persuasive goal
3) weaken a normative belief which opposes your persuasive goal
4) weaken a motivation to comply with a norm which opposes your persuasive goal
5) create a new subjective norm which supports your persuasive goal
6) remind the audience of a forgotten subjective norm which supports your persuasive goal

Question 33

Reason Action adds what new variable between attitudes (and norms) and behavior?

Answer 33

behavioral intent

Question 34

T or F: behavioral intent and behavior must be measured at the same time for us to expect that they will relate

Answer 34

T

Question 35

Main thesis of Theory of Reasoned Action

Answer 35

behavioral intent can be fairly accurately predicted from attitudes toward behavior and subjective norms

Question 36

limitation of Theory of RA compared to consistency theories and SJ/I

Answer 36

it doesn’t address other aspects of content (besides beliefs, values, and norms)

Question 37

How is Reasoned action useful to persuaders?

Answer 37

• can help you decide which ideas to use or what arguments to make in your speech
• helps identify many options for creating attitude change
• helps us understand the relationship between attitude toward behavior and the behavior itself