Social Psychology Chapter 5: Mass Communication

Mass Communication, Propaganda, and Persuasion Study Notes

• Appeals to Identity: Persuasion can be effective when an action resonates with a person's self-identity. Invoking identity leads individuals to perceive actions as central to who they are; for instance, asking children if they want to be "helpers" prompts more cooperation than simply asking to help.

• Attitude: These are opinions that include both cognitive evaluations (good or bad) and strong emotional components. Attitudes are more resistant to change compared to simpler opinions.

• Attractiveness: People are more likely to be persuaded by attractive individuals, often without realizing they are influenced by physical appeal. However, attractiveness cannot overcome strong opposition to a fundamental belief (e.g., on topics like gun control).

• Central Route to Persuasion: Persuasion through careful thought and consideration of arguments and facts. Involves systematic analysis, such as evaluating strengths of arguments about reducing prison recidivism.

• Credibility: A crucial factor in effective communication; credibility can be enhanced by changing a communicator's appearance. For example, Allen Ginsberg was better received when attired more conventionally.

• Expertise: Confidence in a speaker can be perceived as an indicator of their expertise and truthfulness, even if unqualified.

• Fake News: False information presented as legitimate news; it affects perception and opinion, often leading people to categorize content based on agreement rather than veracity.

• Filter Bubble: A personalized information environment on social media that reinforces existing beliefs and limits exposure to challenging perspectives, contributing to polarized viewpoints.

• Persuasion: Defined as the act of changing another person's opinions, attitudes, or behaviors through communication.

• Opinion: Individual beliefs about what is true, primarily cognitive in nature. Opinions can change when presented with compelling evidence, but emotional ties may prevent change.

• Peripheral Route to Persuasion: Involves responding to simple cues rather than analyzing arguments deeply. This route relies on emotional and irrelevant factors, such as fear or attractiveness.

• Reactance Theory: Individuals may resist coercive persuasion attempts, often leading to stronger motivation to assert their freedom, particularly in response to blatant coercion.

• Self-Esteem: Influences reactions to persuasive messages. High self-esteem individuals often respond immediately to strong fear messages, while low self-esteem individuals may act later.

• Trustworthiness: Essential for effective persuasion; perceived credibility can be influenced by bias, as seen with different reactions to engineers of different races based on trust.

• Media Focus: News often emphasizes sensational, destructive behavior to attract viewers, adhering to the principle that "if it bleeds, it leads."

• Availability Heuristics: Coverage distorts public perception of violence and disaster, leading to overestimations based on frequent media reporting.

• Teenage Suicide: Increased media coverage of suicides, especially by celebrities, can lead to spikes in suicides among teenagers; glamorization of suicide in media exacerbates this issue.

• Intentional Persuasion: Children are easily influenced by well-crafted commercials, often requesting advertised products.

• Commercials and Skepticism: Public skepticism increases with age regarding the truthfulness of advertisements.

• Familiarity: Repeated exposure to faces and products increases preferences; individuals opt for familiar brands when making choices.

• High Emotion Commercials: Campaigns that provoke strong emotions are effective in eliciting response. Fear in political ads can sway voters significantly.

• Emotional Appeals in Politics: Successful candidates tend to trigger strong emotions rather than relying solely on factual rebuttals.

• Automatic Thinking: Most individuals engage in automatic, less critical thinking unless deeply engaged or knowledgeable about an issue.

• Misleading Cues: Effective persuasion often lies in emotional resonance rather than logical arguments alone, as demonstrated in notable trials.

• Rhyme's Power: Rhymes can enhance persuasion; statements that rhyme are often perceived as more truthful.

• Effective Persuasion Strategy: Understanding the audience's knowledge level and emotional stake in an issue helps tailor persuasive approaches.

• Endurance of Persuasion: Messages leading to systematic processing are more likely to have lasting effects than those relying on peripheral cues.

• Factors in Effective Communication: Three critical elements include the communicator's credibility, the method of communication, and the audience's characteristics.

• Building Trustworthiness: Arguing against one’s self-interest and presenting oneself as non-persuasive can enhance perceived credibility.

• Self-Interest in Trust: When individuals appear to have nothing to gain by persuading, they are seen as more trustworthy, reinforcing the effectiveness of their arguments.### Influence of Communication

• Sharing information through unauthorized devices increases its value, as seen in a restaurant scenario.

• Communicators who are less intent on persuasion can unintentionally hold more sway over their audience.

Trust and Confidence in Communication

• Confidence in a speaker's statements often correlates with perceived trustworthiness.
• Audiences tend to favor speakers who express certainty over those who appear uncertain or hesitant.
• Confidence is commonly interpreted as a sign of expertise and truthfulness in communication.

Trustworthiness of Experts

• Individuals viewed as trustworthy and expert typically exhibit certain characteristics:
  • They advocate for positions that may go against their personal interests, indicating authenticity.
  • They appear to provide information without the intent to sway public opinion or influence decisions.
  • They possess an appealing presence that enhances their credibility.
  • They display assurance in their claims, reinforcing their perceived reliability.