Social Judgment Theory Overview

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Questions and Answers

What are the three latitudes identified in Social Judgment Theory?

Acceptance, Rejection, Noncommitment (correct)

Approval, Disapproval, Neutrality

Agreement, Disagreement, Indifference

Empathy, Apathy, Antipathy

How does ego-involvement affect an individual's opinions?

It correlates with high latitudes of acceptance only.

It is linked with extreme opinions and wider latitudes of rejection. (correct)

It has no significant impact on their opinions.

It causes individuals to remain neutral on issues.

What is the effect of contrast in social judgment?

It distorts the perception of messages in the latitude of rejection. (correct)

It encourages compliance with new ideas.

It makes acceptances seem more aligned with the anchor.

It facilitates attitude change towards acceptance.

What occurs when a message is within the latitude of acceptance?

The listener adjusts their attitudes to accommodate the new message. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the boomerang effect in attitude change?

Listeners change their attitude in the opposite direction of the advocated message. Signup and view all the answers

What does the latitude of noncommitment represent?

Ideas that neither provoke approval nor disapproval. Signup and view all the answers

During the first stage of attitude change, what do individuals assess about a message?

How close the message is to their anchored position. Signup and view all the answers

What is likely to happen when there is a greater discrepancy in a message?

Listeners will adjust their attitudes more significantly. Signup and view all the answers

What is the core idea of Social Judgment Theory (SJT) primarily supported by?

Quantitative research Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon does cognitive dissonance refer to?

Distress due to conflicting beliefs or actions Signup and view all the answers

Which situation illustrates the concept of cognitive dissonance as discussed by Festinger?

Knowing smoking is harmful yet continuing to smoke Signup and view all the answers

What is one way individuals might cope with cognitive dissonance regarding vaping?

Trivializing or denying the dangers associated with vaping Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of Festinger’s mechanisms to reduce dissonance?

Emotional detachment Signup and view all the answers

How did people respond to the increasing evidence linking smoking to health risks according to Festinger?

By using mental gymnastics to avoid dissonance Signup and view all the answers

What is the need to avoid cognitive dissonance compared to, as stated by Festinger?

The need for safety or satisfying hunger Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of postdecision dissonance create a need for?

Reassurance Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary strategy for maximum influence in persuasion?

Choose a message at the edge of the audience's latitude of acceptance. Signup and view all the answers

According to the Sherifs, what leads to the most enduring attitude changes?

Changes in reference groups with differing values. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the sleep study, what happens when students are presented with a recommendation of fewer than three hours of sleep?

The recommendation is seen as ridiculous and is rejected. Signup and view all the answers

What ethical question arises in the application of social judgment theory for fundraising?

Whether to ask donors for more than they initially intend to give. Signup and view all the answers

What does Kant's categorical imperative suggest regarding persuasive communication?

One should act on maxims that can be universalized without exception. Signup and view all the answers

What key concept is associated with groups that individuals use to define their identity?

Reference groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about persuasion as described in the provided content?

Persuasion always results in immediate attitude change. Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a fundraiser underestimates a donor's latitude of acceptance?

The donor may increase their donation unexpectedly. Signup and view all the answers

What does selective exposure help prevent?

Cognitive dissonance Signup and view all the answers

What triggers postdecision dissonance?

Doubts after an important decision Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimal justification hypothesis primarily concerned with?

Influencing attitude change through sufficient incentives Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes counterattitudinal advocacy?

Publicly supporting a belief that one does not personally hold Signup and view all the answers

In the Festinger and Carlsmith experiment, which group experienced more tension regarding the task?

Those who were paid $1 Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using minimal justification to elicit overt compliance?

To motivate without influencing private beliefs Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario demonstrates selective exposure?

A student skips a lecture that contradicts their beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

What role does collective rationalization play for smokers experiencing dissonance?

It reinforces their smoking behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What does Aronson propose is the main source of cognitive dissonance?

Inconsistency between cognition and self-concept Signup and view all the answers

According to Cooper, when do people experience cognitive dissonance most acutely?

When their actions unintentionally harm others Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of self-affirmation according to Steele's revision of dissonance theory?

To dissipate dissonance by boosting self-confidence Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is described as an alternative to attitude change in the context of high self-esteem individuals?

Denial, forgetfulness, and trivialization Signup and view all the answers

What does cognitive dissonance refer to?

A distressing mental state from inconsistent beliefs or actions Signup and view all the answers

What type of encouragement should be offered to promote attitude change according to the theory of dissonance?

Minimal justification for new behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a critique of cognitive dissonance theory according to Daryl Bem?

It is overly complex and unnecessary Signup and view all the answers

What basic human need is cognitive dissonance associated with avoiding?

The need for consistency in beliefs and actions Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Social judgment theory is a theory of persuasion that suggests people have a latitude of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment regarding an idea.
The latitude of acceptance includes ideas that a person finds reasonable or worthy of approval.
The latitude of rejection includes ideas that a person finds unreasonable or objectionable.
The latitude of noncommitment includes ideas that a person finds neither acceptable nor objectionable.
Ego-involvement describes the importance or centrality of an issue to a person's life.
High ego-involvement is usually demonstrated by membership in a group with a known stand on an issue.
People who hold extreme opinions on an issue almost always care deeply, have high ego-involvement, and wide latitudes of rejection.
Contrast is a perceptual error in which people judge messages that fall within their latitude of rejection as farther from their anchor than they really are.
Assimilation is a perceptual error in which people judge messages that fall within their latitude of acceptance as less discrepant from their anchor than they really are.
To maximize persuasion, select a message right on the edge of the audience's latitude of acceptance or noncommitment.
Persuasion is a gradual process consisting of small, successive movements.
The most dramatic, widespread, and enduring attitude changes involve changes in reference groups.
Reference groups are groups that members use to define their identity.

Ethical Reflection: Kant’s Categorical Imperative

Immanuel Kant believed that ethical behavior should be guided by the categorical imperative, which states that one should act only on a maxim that they can at the same time will to become a universal law.
Kant believed lying was wrong – always – and so is breaking a promise.
When applying persuasion techniques, one should ask, "What if everybody did that all the time?"
If you don't like the answer, you have a solemn duty not to do the deed.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Cognitive dissonance is a distressing mental state caused by inconsistency between a person's two beliefs or a belief and an action.
The need to avoid dissonance is as basic as a need for safety or satisfying hunger.
People use a variety of mental gymnastics to avoid dissonance, such as denying the link between an action and its consequences.
Selective exposure is a tendency to avoid information that would create cognitive dissonance because it is incompatible with current beliefs.
Postdecision dissonance is a strong doubt experienced after making an important, close-call decision that is difficult to reverse.
Minimal justification refers to the best way to stimulate an attitude change in others by offering just enough incentive to elicit counterattitudinal behavior.
Counterattitudinal advocacy refers to publicly urging others to believe or do something that the advocate actually opposes.
The minimal justification hypothesis proposes that when a person is persuaded to behave inconsistently with their attitude, they are more likely to change their attitude if there is minimal justification for their behavior.

Revisions to Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Self-consistency suggests that dissonance arises from an inconsistency between a person's cognition and self-concept.
Personal responsibility for bad outcomes theory proposes that dissonance occurs when an individual believes their actions have unnecessarily hurt another person.
Self-affirmation to dissipate dissonance suggests that some fortunate people can call up a host of positive thoughts about themselves that will blot out a concern for restoring consistency.

Critique: Dissonance over Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance theory has been used by scientists to predict future events and explain data, and it has practical utility.
It struggles when it comes to relative simplicity.
Self-perception is a simpler explanation for attitude change than dissonance.

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Description

Explore the key concepts of Social Judgment Theory, including the latitudes of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment. Learn about ego-involvement and its impact on persuasion, as well as how contrast affects perception of messages. This quiz will help you understand the dynamics of how opinions are formed and influenced.