Persuasion Week 5 PDF

Persuasion Week 5 PS4031 Today Normative Influence • Conformity • Stanford Prison Experiment Attitude change & Persuasion • Factors of persuasion • Models of attitude change MCQ Details • Questions and timing • Grading scale Social Acceptance Having others like us, accept us, and approve of us i...

Persuasion Week 5 PS4031 Today Normative Influence • Conformity • Stanford Prison Experiment Attitude change & Persuasion • Factors of persuasion • Models of attitude change MCQ Details • Questions and timing • Grading scale Social Acceptance Having others like us, accept us, and approve of us is a powerful human motive (Baumeister & Leary, 1995) Conformity Normative influence Conformity Conformity: the tendency to do what others do simply because others are doing it Partly because of normative influence 75% of our guests use their towels more than once Conformity Asch (1951, 1956): Conformity study • 8 people, 7 confederates • State which of the three lines match the ‘standard line that is printed on the other card • 2 ‘normal’ trials, last trial the confederates provided the wrong answer. • What happened? • Why? Normative Influence The unwritten rules that govern social behaviour are called norms: customary standards for behaviour that are widely shared by members of a group/culture • Normative influence: one person’s behaviour is influenced by another person’s behaviour (attitudes & expectations) because the latter provides information about what is appropriate • Every human culture has a norm of reciprocity: The unwritten rule that people should benefit those who have benefitted them • Norms are informed by social identity and group memberships Stanford Prison ‘Experiment’ In 1971 Phillip Zimbardo set up a fake prison to study the “psychological effects” of adopting the role of a prisoner or a guard. Zimbardo states that the project ended prematurely six days in as guards were behaving in a sadistic manner, and prisoner’s were becoming stressed and depressed. Stanford Prison Details Participants • 24 male students who were pre-screened for psychological issues • Paid $15 per day to participate • Watch Procedure • A coin flip divided them into prisoners or guards • Prisoners arrested outside their homes (not agreed) • Imprisoned in a hallway in the basement Stanford Prison Results Guards • Some played “tough but fair” and focused on enforcing rules • “Good guys” did small favours for prisoners • One third were hostile and inventive in forms of humiliation Prisoners • At first there was an attempt at rebellion • Soon they become totally obedient • About one-third broke down emotionally with stress Stanford Prison Conclusions Zimbardo • It is situation one finds themselves in, rather than personality traits that determine behaviour Criticisms • Behaviour of guards varied a lot • Some evidence that researchers encouraged the guards (Haslam et al., 2019) • Demand characteristics: The researchers were watching, and this will have influenced behaviour Attitude Change: The Power of Persuasion Persuasion – “involves the communication of arguments and information intended to change another person’s attitudes” Attitudes • Evaluations of people, objects, and ideas • Relatively stable (stability can vary between people & attitude objects) • We rely heavily on our attitudes and beliefs to guide our actions, therefore, we are motivated to have the ‘right ones’. Attitude Change: Key Variables Important factors for a message to be accepted and persuasion to be successful 1. The source is “the person who sends a communication." 2. The message is “the information transmitted by the source." 3. The channel is “the medium through which the message is sent."’. 4. The receiver is “the person to whom the message is sent." The Power of Persuasion The Power of Persuasion: Key Variables Source factors Persuasion is more effective when: 1. The source has high credibility. Sources are deemed credible if they have expertise and are trustworthy. 2. The source is likable. Likability is increased when the source is attractive and/or similar to the receiver. The Power of Persuasion: Key Variables Message factors 1. Message content: Persuaders use emotional appeals to shift attitudes via positive feelings in the receiver. 2. Message structure: Two-sided arguments are used (pro and con arguments towards an issue). They also increases credibility. 3. Argument Order: Order of message in 2-sided argument(e.g., Igou & Bless, 2003). • Primacy effect: When arguments presented first have an advantage • Recency effect: When arguments presented last have an advantage The Power of Persuasion: Key Variables Receiver factors 1. Motivation: The receiver’s need for cognition, or “tendency to seek out and enjoy effortful thought, problem-solving activities, and in-depth analysis” 2. Ability (capacity) to think and reflect (e.g., IQ) 3. Prior knowledge & beliefs: e.g., receivers are harder to persuade when the message content is incompatible with existing beliefs 4. Affective state: e.g., mood 5. Warning: Impact of arguments on receivers reduced by forewarning 6 principles of social influence  Reciprocity - Reciprocation recognises that people feel indebted to those who do something for them or give them a gift e.g. Christmas cards exp.  Commitment & Consistency - People do not like to back out of deals. People are more likely to do something after they’ve agreed to it verbally or in writing. People strive for consistency in their commitments.  Social Proof - When people are uncertain about a course of action, they tend to look to those around them to guide their decisions and actions. They especially want to know what everyone else is doing – especially their peers. E.g. conformity, laughing in shows  Authority - People respect authority. They want to follow the lead of real experts. Business titles, impressive clothing, and even driving an expensive, high-performing automobile are proven factors in lending credibility to any individual.  Liking - People prefer to say ‘yes’ to those they know and like. People are also more likely to favour those who are physically attractive, similar to themselves, or who give them compliments. Even something as ‘random’ as having the same name  Scarcity - Basically, the less there is of something, the more valuable it is. The more rare and uncommon a thing, the more people want it. Persuasion Tactics Be aware, or be influenced! If a source (communicator) is credible or can make themselves appear credible they can employ several influence tactics to increase the likelihood of persuasion Foot-in-the-Door Door-in-the-Face Persuasion Tactics Foot-in-the-Door Technique where you first make a small request and later make a larger request People who respond favorably to the initial request are more likely to respond favorably to the second request  Example: You agree to wear a small pin supporting a charity – two weeks later reps from the charity ask for a donation, you are now more likely to donate Persuasion Tactics Door-in-the-Face The first request must be so large that it will be rejected, then a second smaller request will be more likely to be granted  Example: A neighbor who is going out of town asks you to pick up their post, cut the grass, and take care of their dog. You decline, so they ask if you would be willing to just pick up the mail. Persuasion Tactics Door-in-the-Face  Example (Cialdini et al., 1975) Researchers asked students to supervise adolescents who were going on a field trip. 17% agreed However, when the researchers first asked students to spend 2 hours per week for 2 years working at the local youth detention centre (everyone said no), and then asked students if they would be willing to supervise the trip. What % of students agreed this time?.... 55% agreed Theory of Persuasion: ELM Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1985) • Benefit of ‘elaboration’ is determined by motivation and capacity of the receiver • A model of attitude change that suggests two routes to persuasion • Central Route: conscious, thoughtful consideration and elaboration of arguments concerning a given issue. • Peripheral Route: less careful, more emotional, quick and superficial evaluation of a message. Theory of Persuasion: ELM Peripheral versus central routes For central route processing to occur: 1. The receiver must be motivated to process the persuasive message (relevance). 2. Receivers must be able to grasp the persuasive message. Messages perceived through central routes are.. • more effective, • longer-lasting, • better predictor of behaviour. Theory of Persuasion: ELM MCQ Details Main in-person exam • When: Exam period (Dec 15th – Dec 22nd) • Duration: 1.5 hours • Percentage of total: 92% • Content: 45 multiple choice questions • Instructions: Select the single best answer to each question. Online practice • This Friday 11am • You will have 30 minutes to answer 15 questions MCQ Details Questions • 5 questions from readings • 5 questions from text book chapters/subchapters • 35 questions from lecture slides Questions Correct 40-45 37-39 34-36 31-33 28-30 25-27 22-24 19-21 16-18 13-15 0-12 Grade A1 A2 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 F Reading Psychology 2E; Chapter 12 Social Psychology; sections 12.3 & 12.4 Igou, E. R., & Bless, H. (2007). Conversational Expectations as a Basis for Order Effects in Persuasion. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 26(3), 260–273. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X06303454 Additional Haslam, S. A., Reicher, S. D., & Van Bavel, J. J. (2019). Rethinking the nature of cruelty: The role of identity leadership in the Stanford Prison Experiment. American Psychologist, 74(7), 809–822. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000443