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Questions and Answers
How is persuasion typically defined?
How is persuasion typically defined?
Human communication that is designed to influence others by modifying their beliefs, values, or attitudes
What are the three categories of attitudes in Social Judgment Theory?
What are the three categories of attitudes in Social Judgment Theory?
According to Social Judgment Theory, people make evaluations about messages based on their anchors in a particular topic.
According to Social Judgment Theory, people make evaluations about messages based on their anchors in a particular topic.
True
Finish the statement: Attitudes are a relatively enduring predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably toward ________.
Finish the statement: Attitudes are a relatively enduring predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably toward ________.
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The gap between minority employment and White employment is due to subtle and unintentional forms of __________.
The gap between minority employment and White employment is due to subtle and unintentional forms of __________.
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What does social judgment theory explain through the contrast effect and the assimilation effect?
What does social judgment theory explain through the contrast effect and the assimilation effect?
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According to Social judgment theory, in which latitude will messages viewed positively?
According to Social judgment theory, in which latitude will messages viewed positively?
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Elaborated arguments may include rational arguments and evidence to support a conclusion.
Elaborated arguments may include rational arguments and evidence to support a conclusion.
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Match the persuasion theory with its primary emphasis:
Match the persuasion theory with its primary emphasis:
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According to the narrative paradigm, what is considered to be more influential for humans than rational arguments?
According to the narrative paradigm, what is considered to be more influential for humans than rational arguments?
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What are the two ways to make a narrative judgment of 'good reasons' in the narrative paradigm?
What are the two ways to make a narrative judgment of 'good reasons' in the narrative paradigm?
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In the narrative paradigm, humans are viewed as primarily rational beings.
In the narrative paradigm, humans are viewed as primarily rational beings.
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Which principle emphasizes a person's dedication to a product, social cause, group affiliation, or political party?
Which principle emphasizes a person's dedication to a product, social cause, group affiliation, or political party?
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People feel greater commitment to a cause when they privately commit to it.
People feel greater commitment to a cause when they privately commit to it.
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What is the foot-in-the-door tactic based on?
What is the foot-in-the-door tactic based on?
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Perceptual messages often rely on people's fear of missing out, which is known as ________.
Perceptual messages often rely on people's fear of missing out, which is known as ________.
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Match the following types of peripheral messages with their descriptions:
Match the following types of peripheral messages with their descriptions:
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What are the three possible relationships between beliefs and behaviors according to Festinger (1957)?
What are the three possible relationships between beliefs and behaviors according to Festinger (1957)?
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Incongruent beliefs and actions lead to dissonance according to Festinger (1957).
Incongruent beliefs and actions lead to dissonance according to Festinger (1957).
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What is one of the ways individuals may reduce cognitive dissonance?
What is one of the ways individuals may reduce cognitive dissonance?
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CDT predicts that the __________ of dissonance can be measured by three variables.
CDT predicts that the __________ of dissonance can be measured by three variables.
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Match the following perception processes with their descriptions:
Match the following perception processes with their descriptions:
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According to social judgment theory, what is necessary for 'true persuasion' to occur?
According to social judgment theory, what is necessary for 'true persuasion' to occur?
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Which theory views persuasion more as an emotional process based on storytelling than a rational process?
Which theory views persuasion more as an emotional process based on storytelling than a rational process?
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According to cognitive dissonance theory, individuals prefer consistency between their beliefs and behaviors.
According to cognitive dissonance theory, individuals prefer consistency between their beliefs and behaviors.
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In the narrative paradigm, narratives must have coherence and the logic of good reasons to be ________.
In the narrative paradigm, narratives must have coherence and the logic of good reasons to be ________.
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How does the latitude of rejection operate within this case study?
How does the latitude of rejection operate within this case study?
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How could Jim and Bryan both have used Social Judgment Theory (SJT) principles early on to avoid confusion and conflict?
How could Jim and Bryan both have used Social Judgment Theory (SJT) principles early on to avoid confusion and conflict?
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What peripheral strategies did Jim try to use to convince Bryan of the ad approval problem, and why didn't they work?
What peripheral strategies did Jim try to use to convince Bryan of the ad approval problem, and why didn't they work?
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In what way(s) does Bryan experience dissonance, and how is it resolved?
In what way(s) does Bryan experience dissonance, and how is it resolved?
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Which persuasion theory seems to explain the situation better in this case study, and why?
Which persuasion theory seems to explain the situation better in this case study, and why?
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Study Notes
Explaining Theories of Persuasion
- Persuasion is human communication designed to influence others by modifying their beliefs, values, or attitudes.
- The importance of understanding persuasive messages is greater than ever, with the average American exposed to at least 3,000 ads every day.
Persuasion Defined
- Persuasion involves a goal and the intent to achieve that goal on the part of the message sender.
- Communication is the means to achieve that goal.
- The message recipient must have free will.
- Persuasion is not accidental, nor is it coercive.
Attitudes
- An attitude is a relatively enduring predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably toward something.
- Attitudes are learned evaluations, not something people are born with.
- Attitudes are changeable and influence behavior.
Social Judgment Theory
- Social judgment theory suggests that knowing a person's attitudes on subjects can provide clues about how to approach a persuasive effort.
- People make evaluations (judgments) about the content of messages based on their anchors or stance on a particular topic.
- An individual's attitude on a topic is a function of how ego-involved that individual is with the topic.
Social Judgment Theory Process
- Map receivers' attitudes toward a topic using an ordered alternatives questionnaire.
- Determine the latitude of acceptance, rejection, and noncommitment.
- Predict how the audience will respond to particular messages based on their attitudes.
Theories of Persuasion
- The chapter presents four theories of persuasion: social judgment theory, the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), cognitive dissonance, and the narrative paradigm.
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
- ELM views persuasion as a cognitive event.
- Persuasion depends on the way receivers make sense of the message.
- ELM presents two possible routes or methods of influence: centrally routed messages and peripherally routed messages.
- Centrally routed messages include a wealth of information, rational arguments, and evidence to support a particular conclusion.
- Centrally routed messages succeed in long-term change only when the target is highly motivated to process the information and has the ability to process it cognitively.### Understanding Audience and Persuasion
- Understanding the audience is critical in choosing the appropriate route to persuasion.
- The audience's motivation and ability to process information affect the effectiveness of persuasion.
- Elaborated arguments can be strong, neutral, or weak, and can create positive, negative, or no cognitive response.
- Strong arguments can create long-term attitude change and inoculate the audience against counter-persuasion.
- Repetition enhances the persuasive effect of strong arguments, while interruptions diminish it.
The Peripheral Route to Persuasion
- The peripheral route relies on emotional involvement and persuades through superficial means.
- This route is used when the audience is unmotivated or unable to process an elaborated message.
- The peripheral route leads to short-term change, if any change at all.
- Seven common cues that signal the use of a peripheral message are:
- Authority
- Commitment
- Contrast
- Liking
- Reciprocation
- Scarcity
- Social proof
Types of Peripheral Messages
- Peripheral messages can be positive, neutral, or negative.
- Positive peripheral messages create a positive affective state and may yield weak, positive changes in attitude.
- Neutral peripheral messages leave the receivers feeling emotionally ambivalent.
- Negative peripheral messages produce negative or disapproving emotional responses.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
- Cognitive dissonance theory predicts that influence is often an intrapersonal event, occurring when incongruence between attitudes and behavior creates a tension that is resolved by altering either beliefs or behaviors.
- Schemata are cognitive structures for organizing new information and creating familiarity or discomfort.
- Incongruence between beliefs and behaviors creates dissonance, which is uncomfortable and motivates individuals to change the situation to restore balance.
Relationships Between Beliefs and Behaviors
- Three possible relationships between beliefs and behaviors exist:
- Irrelevance: beliefs and behaviors have no relation to each other.
- Consonance: beliefs and behaviors are in balance or congruent.
- Dissonance: beliefs and behaviors contradict each other.
- Individuals prefer consonant relationships and strive to feel consistency between actions and beliefs.
- Dissonance creates discomfort and motivates individuals to change their beliefs or behaviors to restore balance.### Cognitive Dissonance Theory (CDT)
- The dissonance ratio is the proportion of incongruent beliefs held in relation to consonant beliefs.
- When there is a greater number of incongruent beliefs, an individual experiences more discomfort.
- The ability to rationalize or justify the dissonance also affects the amount of discomfort experienced.
- The more one can justify the dissonance, the less discomfort they endure.
- Perceptual processes, such as selective exposure, attention, interpretation, and retention, can help minimize dissonance.
- Selective exposure: an individual actively avoids information that is inconsistent with previously established beliefs or behaviors.
- Selective attention: an individual only attends to information that reaffirms their beliefs, disregarding any information that fails to support their views.
- Selective interpretation: an individual carefully deciphers ambiguous information to be consistent with established beliefs.
- Selective retention: an individual selectively retains information that upholds their viewpoints, while conveniently forgetting or dismissing information that creates dissonance.
Persuasion Through Dissonance
- CDT assumes that humans prefer congruency between beliefs and behaviors.
- When an individual engages in an action that opposes their attitudes, they experience distress known as dissonance.
- Depending on the importance of the issue and the degree of discomfort, an individual is motivated to change their beliefs or behaviors to restore consonance.
- CDT is often considered a post-decision theory, meaning that individuals attempt to persuade themselves after a decision has been made or a course of action has been taken.
- Communicators can use CDT to persuade others by creating or exploiting dissonance while offering a solution to minimize the disparity.
- Examples of CDT in action include:
- Buyer's remorse: sellers and real estate agents can capitalize on principles of CDT by reinforcing the wisdom of making certain choices.
- Advertising: manufacturers can use CDT to convince consumers to buy their products by presenting an easy alternative to relieve dissonance.
Narrative Paradigm
- The narrative paradigm emphasizes the effectiveness of influence through narration, or persuasion through storytelling.
- Human beings are fundamentally storytelling creatures, and the most persuasive or influential message is not that of rational fact, but instead a narrative that convinces us of "good reasons" for engaging in a particular action or belief.
- Fisher's narrative paradigm contrasts with much of Western thought, which emphasizes rational decision making.
- The narrative paradigm assumes that what makes humans unique and distinct from other creatures is our ability and drive to tell stories.
- Five assumptions drive Fisher's explanation of the narrative paradigm:
- Humans are storytellers.
- Communication, persuasion, and decision making are based on the logic of good reasons.
- What one accepts as "good reasons" is determined individually by a person's culture, character, experiences, and values.
- Rationality is based on one's awareness of how consistent and truthful a story appears when compared with one's own (and others') lived experiences.
- People experience the world as a series of stories from which we choose, and as we make these choices, we create and recreate reality.
Comparing Narrative and Rational Paradigms
- The narrative paradigm contrasts with the rational paradigm, which assumes that humans are rational beings.
- Table 5.2 presents a comparison of the narrative and rational paradigms, highlighting the differences in how humans are perceived, how communication and persuasion work, and how rationality is defined.
- The narrative paradigm does not exclude logic, but instead argues that mythos (narratives) and pathos (emotional appeals) are more meaningful to humans and, therefore, more persuasive.
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Description
Test your understanding of social psychology concepts such as persuasion, social judgment theory, and attitudes. Learn how people respond to messages and evaluate their anchors in a particular topic.
