Social Psychology Task 5 - Attitude Change

subliminal advertising

Advertising slogans that are presented so briefly (or faintly) that they are below the threshold of awareness

distraction, message repetition

Among the most important variables influencing a person's ability to systematically process persuasive arguments are __ and __ __

elaboration likelihood model

model of persuasion stating that people will either elaborate on the persuasive message or fail to elaborate on it and that the future actions of those who do elaborate are more predictable than those who do not

heuristic processing

1. An example is if a computer salesperson gives us a highly technical sales pitch about the advantages of a computer they are trying to sell, we will not be able to evaluate these arguments if we lack the necessary computer knowledge. But even if we have enough computer knowledge, we might not be able to think about these arguments if we have no time to do so, because we have to come to a decision immediately.

need for closure scale

A 42-item scale that shows a moderately negative correlation with need for cognition

need for cognition

An individual difference variable which differentiates people according to the extent to which they enjoy thinking about arguments contained in a communication

heuristic processing

Assessing the validity of a communication through reliance on heuristics; that is, simple rules like "statistics do not lie" and "experts can be trusted" rather than through evaluation of arguments

cognitive dissonance theory

Assumes that dissonance is an aversive state which motivates individuals to reduce it (such as by changing beliefs, attitudes, or behavior, and searching for consonant, or avoiding dissonant, information)

counter attitudinal behavior

Behavior (usually induced by monetary incentives or threats) which is inconsistent with the actor's attitude or beliefs

counter attitudinal behavior

Example: Seatbelt users in the 1980s who reluctantly used their belts because of the law may have found them must less restrictive than they anticipated. Thus, they may have realized that their negative attitude towards seatbelt use was unjustified.

feeling

Feeling or thinking products? These products appeal to self-expressive or identity-related goals.

elaboration likelihood model

HSM is very similar to the __ __ __

cognitive response model

Model that assumes that attitude change is mediated by the thoughts, or "cognitive responses" which recipients generate as they receive and reflect upon persuasive communications

defense motivation

The processing goal of __ __ individuals is to confirm the validity of positions and to disconfirm the validity of positions that are not preferred

impression motivation

This motive refers to the desire to express attitudes that are socially acceptable

systematic processing

Thorough, detailed processing of information (e.g. attention to the arguments contained in a persuasive communication); this kind of processing relies on ability and effort

heuristic-systematic model

What does HSM stand for?

distraction

While listening to a persuasive communication, individuals are distracted by having to perform an irrelevant activity or by experiencing stimulation irrelevant to the message

evaluative conditioning

__ __ can change implicit attitudes

cognitive response model

a theory that locates the most direct cause of persuasion in the self-talk of the persuasion target

thought-listing

A measure of cognitive responses; message recipients are asked to list all the thoughts that occurred to them while being exposed to a persuasive message

cognitive response model

According to this model, it is not the reception of arguments that mediates attitude change, but the thoughts (cognitive responses) stimulated in the recipient by those arguments

information processing model of persuasion

According to this model, the persuasive impact of a message is the product of at least five steps: attention, comprehension, yielding, retention, and behavior.

hsm

Attitude change to persuasive communications is mediated by heuristic and/or systematic processing: when motivation and ability are high, systematic processing is likely; when they are low, individuals rely on heuristic cues

thinking

Feeling or thinking? Persuasive arguments about utilitarian qualities are most effective with __ products

dual-process theories of persuasion

In contrast to the cognitive response model which assumes that attitude change is always mediated by argument-relevant thinking, these theories acknowledge that recipients may sometimes take shortcuts and accept or reject the recommendation of a communicator without scrutinizing the arguments presented in support of that recommendation

systematic processing

Information processing theory and the cognitive response model are both theories of __ __

retain

Part of the information processing model of persuasion Example: Ultimate objective of politicians giving speeches on TV is to get members of the audience to vote for a certain party Failure to __: If the candidate manages to persuade the audience but viewers change their mind back again the day before the election

yield

Part of the information processing model of persuasion Example: Ultimate objective of politicians giving speeches on TV is to get members of the audience to vote for a certain party Failure to __: If they do not accept the communicator's conclusions they will not vote

attend

Part of the information processing model of persuasion Example: Ultimate objective of politicians giving speeches on TV is to get members of the audience to vote for a certain party Failure to _: If viewers use the break between programs to use the bathroom, the appeal will not result in attitude change

act

Part of the information processing model of persuasion Example: Ultimate objective of politicians giving speeches on TV is to get members of the audience to vote for a certain party Failure to __: If bad weather keeps them from voting

comprehend

Part of the information processing model of persuasion Example: Ultimate objective of politicians giving speeches on TV is to get members of the audience to vote for a certain party Failure to __: if they find the arguments too complex they will not vote

heuristic

Persuasion induced by systematic processing is more persistent over time that persuasion induced by __ processing

strong

Petty study: Found that increases in distraction enhanced persuasion for the message that consisted of weak arguments, but reduced persuasion for the message containing __ arguments

feeling goods

Products such as paintings, jewelry, etc evaluated primarily in terms of personal preference. Important attributes are taste, flavor, and design

thinking goods

Products such as washing machines, electric toothbrushes, etc that mainly serve utilitarian goals. Important attributes are performance, reliability, and quality

need for cognitive closure

Refers to the desire of individuals for a definite answer to a question - any answer, as opposed to uncertainty; the need reflects an individual difference variable but can also be situationally induced

mode model

Research shows that implicit attitudes can be changed by processes based on extensive deliberation, as well as processes that do not require deliberation. These findings are interpreted in terms of the __ __

reduce

Stice study: Discussion: Take in conjunction with past findings, these preliminary results suggest that the dissonance intervention, and to a lesser extent the healthy weight management intervention, may __ bulimic pathology and risk factors for eating disturbances

dissonance

Stice study: Results: Participants in the __ intervention reported decreased thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dieting, negative affect, and bulimic symptoms at termination and at 4-week follow up. Unexpectedly, participants in the healthy weight management control group also reported some benefits

survey

Stice study: Method - young women with body image concerns were randomized to this intervention, which involves verbal, written, and behavioral exercises requiring them to critique the thin-ideal, or to a healthy weight management control group. Participants completed a baseline, termination, and a 4 week follow up __

attend, comprehend, yield, retain, act

The five "failures" - part of the information processing model of persuasion

personal relevance

The most influential determinant of a person's motivation to think about the arguments contained in a message is the perceived __ __ of the communication

self-perception theory

The theory that when our attitudes and feelings are uncertain or ambiguous, we infer these states by observing our behavior and the situation in which it occurs

hsm, elaboration likelihood model

The two dual-process theories of persuasion

dual-process theories of persuasion

Theories of persuasion postulating two modes of information processing, systematic and non-systematic. Modes differ in the extent to which individuals engage in content-relevant thoughts and critical evaluation of the arguments contained in a message

incentives

There is ample evidence that use of __ is an effective strategy of behavior change. 1. According to the value-expectancy models, one's attitude towards a given behavior reflects the perceived consequences of engaging in that behavior. Therefore, changes in the price of, for example, alcohol, should influence one's attitude towards buying the drink. It should have no effect on drinking it.

subliminal

There is now substantial evidence that __ messages can influence brand choice, but only under specific conditions, namely for products that are not highly accessible, and which are needed to satisfy an active goal

defense, impression

Two kinds of motives in dual process theories

evaluative conditioning

the process by which we form an attitude toward a neutral stimulus because of its association with a positive or negative person, place, or thing

cognitive dissonance theory

the theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when two of our thoughts are inconsistent

elaboration likelihood model

theory identifying two ways to persuade: a central route and a peripheral route