Attitudes and persuasion

Attitudes

An evaluation (positive or negative) of a person, object or idea

What are the two dual process systems for attitudes

Explicit and Implicit attitudes

Explicit attitudes

Conscious evaluations, generated by the rational system

Implicit attitudes

Unconscious associations, generated by the intuitive system

Explicit measures

Likert scales (strong disagree, disagree etc.)

Implicit measures

Implicit association test (IAT)

Implicit association test (IAT)

A measure of implicit attitudes that uses reaction time as the metric

LaPiere (1934)

First study to demonstrate inconsistency between attitudes and behaviors

Wicker (1969)

Reviewed literature and concluded no attitude-behavior consistency

Theory of reasoned action and planned behavior (Three primary predictors of behavior)

Attitudes towards the behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control

Cognitive dissonance theory (festinger)

People dislike inconsistency among their beliefs, attitudes and behaviors

Ways to reduce dissonance

Downplay the importance, add something that resolves the inconsistency, change something (belief, attitude or behavior)

Free-choice paradigm

P’s make a choice between alternatives, report attitude toward each choice

Post decisional dissonance

A state of psychological discomfort that follows an important decision

Spreading of alternatives

Resolving post-decisional dissonance by emphasizing positives of chosen option and negatives of not-chosen option

Induced compliance paradigm

Participants are nudged to engage in a behavior that conflicts with their true beliefs or attitudes.

Effort justification

Reducing dissonance by convincing ourselves that suffering was valuable (hazing)

Persuasion

Intentional efforts to change someone’s attitude, usually in hopes of changing their behavior

Central route processing

thinking systematically and evaluating the arguments; effortful processing

Peripheral route processing

Influenced by incidental or irrelevant characteristics

Attractiveness

Physical attractiveness, being likeable, best dressed etcC

Credibility

Combination of expertise and trust worthiness

Certainty

Confidence is persuasive

Sleeper effect

delayed impact of a message that occurs when we remember the message but forget the reason for discounting

Message quality

Straightforward, clear and logical

Vividness

Statistics and facts are often less persuasive than a compelling story

Fear appeals

Can increase or decrease persuasion

Reception-yielding model

Be scary enough to be convincing but not so scary that people tune out

Fear appeals

Can increase or decrease persuasion

Reception-yielding model

Be scary enough to be convincing but not so scary that people tune out