Introduction to Persuasion

• Definition: Persuasion is the process of changing attitudes.

• Attitude Definition: According to Petty and Cacioppo (1981), an attitude is "a general enduring positive or negative feeling about some person, object, or issue."

• Complexity: Research on persuasion is complex as attitudes cannot be directly observed or measured. Researchers often use questionnaires and surveys to assess beliefs or opinions.

The Hovland-Yale Model of Persuasion

Four Factors Influencing Persuasion

1. The Communicator: The credibility of the persuader. Experts are generally more persuasive than non-experts, as audiences are more convinced if they perceive the speaker as knowledgeable. For instance, actors wearing white coats appear more credible when advertising products (Baron & Byrne, 1997).

2. The Message: The content and structure of the message.

   • Two-sided arguments are often effective for undecided audiences as they build resistance to counterarguments (McGuire, 1964).

   • Fear appeals can be effective if they create substantial fear, provide coping mechanisms, and the audience believes the warnings will affect them. If these criteria are unmet, the message may be ignored or rejected.

3. The Channel/Medium: Various channels (e.g., face-to-face, television) can be used to deliver messages. No single method is universally more persuasive; face-to-face interactions may be more tailored, whereas mass media can reach a larger audience. For complex messages, printed media may allow for better focus and review (Lippa, 1994).

4. The Audience: Factors such as intelligence, personality, and gender impact persuasion. Intelligent individuals may spot flaws in a message while those with moderate intelligence and self-esteem are generally more persuadable (Wood & Stagner, 1994).

Health Promotion Strategies

Fear Arousal in Health Promotion

• Learning Objectives:

  • Understand how persuasion can promote healthy behaviors.

  • Explore effective strategies such as fear arousal and providing information.

• Poll Example: Do you think fear arousal is an effective method for health promotion?

• Yerkes-Dodson Law: Performance increases with moderate arousal but decreases with excessively high arousal. This reflects a balance necessary for optimal performance.

Example Study: Janis and Feshbach (1953)

• Aim: Investigate the effects of fear appeals on dental hygiene information in group settings.

• Procedure:

  1. High-fear group saw a film containing 71 references to oral diseases with graphic images.

  2. Moderate-fear group saw a film with 49 anxiety-inducing references and less graphic images.

  3. Low-fear group learned effective brushing techniques without unpleasant topics.

  4. Control group received no information at all.

  • Questionnaires measured emotional responses and changes in beliefs and practices.

• Results:

  • Significant emotional reactions were highest in the high-fear group.

  • The minimal fear group showed the most improvement in dental hygiene habits two weeks later; they also had the highest dentist visits (18%) compared to others.

• Conclusions:

  • High fear arousal did not increase the likelihood of audience engagement with health information, suggesting that extreme fear may counteract the intended influence.

• Evaluation:

  • Strengths: Good experimental control and ecological validity.

  • Weaknesses: Ethnocentrism (single demographic), reductionism (does not consider wider causes), and low generalizability due to specific focus on dental hygiene.

Real World Application

• A successful campaign in Uganda during the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s demonstrated that fear alone was insufficient; specific information about preventing HIV was necessary for effective behavior change.

Example Study: Lewin et al (1992)

• Aim: Investigate the effect of providing information on recovery post-myocardial infarction (heart attack).

• Procedure:

  1. 190 patients were divided into experimental (self-help program based on a manual) and control groups (standard care).

  2. The experimental group received a comprehensive manual covering education, a home exercise program, and stress management.

  3. Both groups were monitored over time to assess improvements in psychological well-being through follow-up calls and questionnaires.

• Results:

  • The experimental group showed better psychological adjustment at 6 months and 1 year with significantly lower anxiety and depression scores.

• Conclusions:

  • Providing structured information substantially enhances recovery and psychological health in post-MI patients.

• Evaluation:

  • Strengths: High ecological validity and controlled groups.

  • Weaknesses: Limited to myocardial infarction patients; results may not apply to other health conditions.

Summary of Debates and Approaches

• The effectiveness of fear appeals versus providing information presents a significant debate in health psychology. Evidence shows that too much fear can hinder message acceptance, suggesting a need for balanced communication strategies that incorporate fear in moderation while also providing actionable information.

• The various approaches to persuasion highlight the complexity of human behavior and the need for tailored interventions based on audience characteristics and the context of the message. This multidimensional perspective is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of health promotion strategies.