PSYC 231 Chapter 5: PDF PSYC 231 Notes - Ch. 5
27 Jun 2018
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•persuasion: the process by which a message induces change in beliefs,
attitudes, &/or behaviour
-is neither inherently good or bad, it depends on how it is used that
determines whether its effects are destructive or constructive
-whether you consider it “propaganda” or “education”, it is inevitable
-different paths can lead to persuasion:
(a) central route: occurs when interested people focus on the arguments
being made, & if they are strong & compelling, they will respond with
favourable thoughts — if it is weak, they will counter-argue
•is explicit & reflective, & swiftly changes explicit attitudes
•results in more solidified & enduring changes
(b) peripheral route: when people are influenced by incidental cues
that trigger acceptance without much thinking
•motivated by how feel — we don’t notice if the argument is weak
or compelling, but rather just are attracted to familiar cues
•is implicit & automatic, & slowly build implicit attitudes through
repeat exposure & associated between an object & emotion
•allow us to make snap judgments without much thought
-different elements of persuasion:
(i) the communicator — who is saying the message
•credibility: perceived expertise & trustworthiness, determining
the communicator’s believability
-perceived expertise — someone who seems knowledgable on
the topic, speaks confidently, & say things people agree with
-perceived trustworthiness — depends on their speech style,
whether or not you think the are trying to persuade you, how
sincere they seem, whether or not they look the part
-sleeper effect: delayed persuasion in which over time (~1
month), we remember the message but forget the source
•attractiveness: physically appealing qualities & similar to us
-most effective for persuasive matters of subjective preference
(ii) the content — what is being said
•depends on the audience & how their initial attitudes were formed
•people who are more logical & interested in the issue are more
likely to be persuaded by reason
•messages that evoke good feelings enhance persuasion by
enhancing positive thinking & linking good feelings with the
message, resulting in people more likely to make a faster decision
•messages that evoke negative emotions lead people to effectively
fear the intensity & likelihood of the threatened event, but to also
perceive a solution that they feel capable of implementing
•a message that evokes discrepancy (between what you think &
what the message says) can produce discomfort, which prompts
people to change — however, it can also open a person up to
conclusions about their credibility, & produce less change
-the effectiveness of a large or small discrepancy depends on
whether or not the communicator is credible, & how
concerned your audience is with the issue
•two-sided messages may seem fairer because it recognizes the
oppositions’ argument — but it may also be more confusing &
therefore weaken it’s argument
-works best for people who currently disagree if the evidence
for the message outweighs the opposition’s argument
-more persuasive & enduring when people know the other side
•one-sided messages work best for people who already agree
•primacy effect: with all things equal, information presented 1st
is more persuasive, because first impression are important
•recency effect: when there is a time gap between the 2 messages,
& if the audience commits themselves soon after hearing the 2nd
message, the message presented 2nd is more persuasive
-less common than primacy effect
(iii) the channel of communication — how the message is delivered
•actively experienced messages decrease persuasion as the
significance & familiarity of the issue increases
•passively received appeals increases persuasion as the significance
& familiarity of the issue decreases
•repetition & rhyming increases the message’s fluency, making it
seem more believable
•face-to-face & word-of-mouth influence is more influential than
through media
•two-step flow communication: process by which media
influences opinion leaders, who in turn influence others
•messages are least persuasive when written because there is no
interaction, but are best comprehended & recalled when written
•the more lifelike, the more persuasive the message is !
(ex. face-face interaction > video > audio > written)
(iv) the audience — to whom is the message being told to
•depends on their age — explained by 2 possible explanations:
(a) life cycle explanation: attitudes change as age
(b) generational explanation: attitudes do not change, but
rather older people just hold onto the attitudes that they
formed when they were younger, which different from
those being adopted today by younger people
-supported most by research — older people’s attitudes
change less than those of younger people
-attitudes are most changeable during the teens & early
twenties because these are our most formative &
influential years, but they then become more stable
through middle adulthood
•also depends on their thoughtfulness — not just what the
message is, but what thoughts it evokes in the audiences’ mind
-when you are forewarned that someone is going to try to
persuade you, you are more likely to counter-argue
-distractions that inhibit counter-arguing enhance persuasion
-stimulating thinking about a message makes strong
messages even more persuasive, & (because of counter-
arguing) weak messages less persuasive
•lower needs for cognition makes us more likely to respond
to peripheral cues
•the more important the topic is, the greater need for
cognition & ∴ greater need for a strong central message
•cults: groups typically characterized by
(1) distinctive rituals of its devotion to a god or person
(2) isolation from the surrounding “evil” culture
(3) a charismatic leader
-increasing behavioural commitments so attitudes follow behaviour
•as members repeatedly internalize commitments made voluntarily,
publicly, & repeatedly, the greater personal commitment they
experience, & therefore the greater need to justify it
•compliance breeds acceptance
•relies on the foot-in-the-door phenomena
-possessing effective persuasive elements
•leader is charismatic & credible, & able to attract & direct members
•the message is vivid & emotional, & the warmth & acceptingness of
the group seems strikingly appealing
•the recruits are often younger than 25, & still at the age where their
attitudes & values have not yet stabilized
-effects of group isolation
•by cutting off external ties, members eventually only are engaging
with other group members & they loose access to counter arguments
•the group eventually offers a new identity & defines their reality
•the stress & arousal of being in the group narrows attention
-[can also be good groups, though (ex. support groups, therapy groups)]
•resisting persuasion — persuasion can be resisted by:
-strengthening personal commitment: standing up for your own
convictions, you become less susceptible/open to what others say
-by mildly attacking someone’s position, you cause them to react, which
makes them become more committed
-attacking someone’s position also allows for them to develop a
counterargument that can be used again later
•attitude inoculation: exposing people to weak attacks on their
attitudes so that when it comes to a stronger attack, they will have
counterarguments available
•a challenge to one’s view, if refuted, is more likely to solidify one’s
position, rather than undermine it
•ineffective persuasion that just stimulates the listener’s defences ends
up being counterproductive
-real life applications of resisting persuasion includes inoculating children
against the influence of advertising
PSYC 231: Chapter 5 - Persuasion
Document Summary
Psyc 231: chapter 5 - persuasion: persuasion: the process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, &/or behaviour. Is neither inherently good or bad, it depends on how it is used that determines whether its effects are destructive or constructive. Whether you consider it propaganda or education , it is inevitable. Different elements of persuasion: (i) the communicator who is saying the message: credibility: perceived expertise & trustworthiness, determining the communicator"s believability. Perceived expertise someone who seems knowledgable on the topic, speaks con dently, & say things people agree with. Perceived trustworthiness depends on their speech style, whether or not you think the are trying to persuade you, how sincere they seem, whether or not they look the part. Sleeper effect: delayed persuasion in which over time (~1 month), we remember the message but forget the source: attractiveness: physically appealing qualities & similar to us.
