Heuristics and Persuasion

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to heuristics and persuasion from the lecture notes.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts used to make judgments quickly and efficiently.

The Availability Heuristic

Judgment based on how easily something comes to mind.

Media Coverage Effect

Dramatic events reported in the news are more easily recalled.

Representativeness Heuristic

Classifications based on how typical we think something is of a category.

Ignoring Base-Rate Information

Not taking into account the actual likelihood of an event in favor of specific instances.

Anchoring

Relying too heavily on the first piece of information received when making decisions.

Attitude Heuristic

Making judgments based on previous attitudes and experiences.

Elaboration-Likelihood Model

Model explaining two ways persuasive communication causes attitude change: centrally and peripherally.

Central Route of Persuasion

Involves careful and thoughtful consideration of arguments.

Peripheral Route of Persuasion

Involves being swayed by superficial cues rather than elaborating on the arguments.

Yale Attitude Change Approach

Framework that considers who is communicating, what is being said, how it's delivered, and to whom.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to remember the first information presented more effectively.

Recency Effect

The tendency to remember the last information presented more effectively.

Fear Appeals

Messages that evoke fear to persuade an audience, often paired with protective strategies.

Need for Cognition

A personality trait reflecting the extent to which individuals are inclined towards effortful cognitive activities.