Persuasion Dual Process

The dual process model:

Two theories tried to integrate all the disconnected findings into a single theoretical process

System 1: is the automatic process, but the more effortful

System 2: can override it when people are motivated and have the ability to do so

Heuristic-Systematic Model

(Chaiken, 1980; 1987)

Heuristics: cognitive “shortcuts”

• Generally refer to unconscious system 1 processes that are efficient and usually effective but occasionally bias judgment in predictable ways

Systematic processing: processing information in order to thoroughly understand any and all available information through careful attention

• Effortful

• System 2

• Attitude change results from a person’s understanding and acceptance of the information supplied by the message

Heuristic processing: relies on relatively automatic application of easy to understand decision rules.

• Less demanding of cognitive resources

• System 1

• Decision rule examples:

  • Likeable sources (attractive, charismatic) are trustworthy

  • Long persuasive messages or messages with a lot of arguments = strong message

  • Statistics = high credibility

The two processes (heuristic and systematic) are not mutually exclusive

• Can be additive

• When there is disagreement, the influence of the systematic process usually overrides the effects of the heuristic process

Heuristic vs. Systematic

Least effort principle: in any given persuasive context, evaluators generally try to conserve cognitive resources whenever possible.

• The demands on people’s cognitive capacity are excessive.

• We’ve learned to be careful with how we expend that capacity

Sufficiency principle

• IF

  1) Recipients of attitude-relevant information seek to hold correct attitudes and process information objectively

  2) Expend the least amount of effort

• THEN…

  there exists some optimal balance between correctness and effort expenditure

• There is a level of confidence that we require to be satisfied with any given judgment

• What is sufficient? Varies across disposition and situational factors

What motivates us to expend more effort?

• If the judgement is personally relevant to us, we are motivated to increase our desired level of confidence

• If our expectancies (bases on pervious judgments or attitudes) are disconfirmed..

• May decrease our current level of confidence

• Prompt us to collect more information and revise our judgment

• Impression management motivation: the motivation to have others see you in a positive light

  • People engage in more effortful, systematic processing in order to be confident in their attitude when they are told they will have to justify their views to others (high accountability)

• Defense motivation: the drive to defend or maintain a particular attitude

  • Selective Exposure

• Confirmation bias: the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories

Elaboration Likelihood Model

(Petty & Cacioppo, 1981; 1984)

Central Route:

• Deliberative and effortful

• Attitude change that occurs through its impact on cognitive responses to the message content

  • IE your thoughts about the message

Peripheral Route:

• Quick and easy

• Attitude change that occurs by considering simple characteristics of the source or message

  • Source likability, expertise, attractiveness, number of arguments, consensus information

  • IE: Things that are peripheral to the content of the message

Elaboration:

• carefully thinking about and processing the content of the message

• The target also

  • Adds their own thoughts and opinions about the argument

  • Evaluates other issue-relevant information

Central Route → High Elaboration

Peripheral Route → Low Elaboration

What determines how much we elaborate?

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