What has the experimental study of attitude change told us about the process of persuasion?

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                20089003

Kathryn Smith

20089003

PSY2004AS – Personality and Social Psychology Essay

Kevin Buchanan

What has the experimental study of attitude change told us about the process of persuasion?

Studies have always been interested in factors that make arguments persuasive long before psychology was established as a separate discipline. Philosophers such as Plato have devoted much effort into understanding the principles of persuasion. The art of persuasion is truly ancient. Therefore suggesting that the persuasion process could be based on a philosophical analysis or swaying an audience.

A link between source (the persuasive), message and audience is established. I will look at these factors separately and understand how the experimental study of attitude change has helped influence the process of persuasion. McGuire (1968) examined the links to see if they promoted or inhibited the learning and acceptance of the persuasive communication, therefore facilitate or inhibit change. There are two major processes identified on the impact of a persuasive communication, Learning (attention to and comprehension of message) and acceptance which is then broken down into five stages that are essential for an attitude change (persuasion) to occur:

  1. attention to message
  2. comprehension of the message
  3. yielding to (acceptance of) the message
  4. retention of the message in memory
  5. acting as a result

For example, someone who is scared of the message may reduce attention, hence their ability to learn. When identifying the source we may have additional fear alongside the message.

There are two types of source effect; attractiveness and credibility which have influential effects. We evaluate the source on personal judgement or attribution. For example, one person may like a particular actress and the other may not. Attributions may be made on race, sex, and physical appearance, all of which are irrelevant information. Hovland & Weiss (1951) are thought to be the first researchers to test for persuasion effects due to source factors. Using questionnaires they found that over time the informational content regarding a controversial subject may become more important than the source of the message.  Greenwald et al. (1986) found that the persuasive message must have a strong initial impact on the recipient. If the subject has not learned the persuasive message initially then there is no chance it can gain insignificance later.

Credibility in persuasion may be affected by two main factors: the person’s level of interest in the area of concern and the perceived intentions of the communicator.

More likely to accept other person’s opinion with relatively little thought or criticism if they have little interest, knowledge or involvement about the persuasive issue.

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Petty et al. 1981 suggested we will be highly motivated to examine any persuasive communication that threatens an existing important attitude, therefore enhancing our attitude and make persuasion less likely.

Trust that we attribute is greatest when we perceive someone arguing against their own self with nothing to gain. This notion is commonly used amongst advertisement campaigns using ordinary shoppers approached without warning to give their views on a product. We do not see they have an ulterior motive and nothing to gain, hence the reason why we are trustworthy. It is not just the power of the source on ...

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