Chapter 5: Attitudes and Persuasion

Cognitive Dissonance: Counter-attitudinal action

-A behavior that is inconsistent with an existing attitude will produce change in attitude only when there is insufficient justification- i.e. only $1. (i.e. no strong additional motivation for taking the action- for example $100). -It is for this reason that contrary behavior leads to attitude change principally when the actor feels that he or she has had free choice in performing it -When potent external forces (threats, bribes, requirements) take away one's sense of personal choice in counter-attitudinal behavior

Dual Process Model of Persuasion

-A model that accounts for the two basic ways that attitude change occurs- with (focus on the arguments) and without (focus on other factors such as attractiveness of communicator) much thought

Inoculation Procedure

-A technique for increasing indioviduals' resistance to a strong argument by first giving them weak, easily defeated versions of it -Then, when opponent delivers a stronger version, the audience will already have a set of counterarguments to attack it -similarity to diseases inoculation procedures in which a weakened for form of a virus is injected into healthy individuals

Cognitive Response Model

-Best indication of how much change a communicaotr will produce lies not in what the comminicator says to the persuasion target but rather, in what the target says to their self as a result of receiving the message -Message not responsible for change, direct cause is self-talk (internal cognitive responses or thinking) people engage in after being exposed to the message -amount, degree to which it supports, and confidence in its validity powerful impact persuasion

Post-decisional Dissonance

-Conflict between knowledge that you have made a decision and the possibility that the decision may be wrong -i.e. to reduce the unpleasant conflict, the bettors persuaded themselves that their horses really would win (confidence inc. after laying down bet) -Soon after making a decision, people come to view their selections more favorably and all the alternatives less favorably (especially when highly committed-personally tied- to decision -After irreversible decision, desire to see things accurate is no longer paramount. Dissonance theory tell us its is replaced by desire to see things consistently

Need for Cognition

-Influences motivation to process message centrally -The tendency to enjoy and engage in deliberative thought. (even when issues are not personally relevant) -Preference for central route

Consistency Principle

-People will change their attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and actions to make them consistent with each other -two consistency theories: balance and cognitive dissonance

Elaboration Likelihood Model

-Proposes two routes people can take to be persuaded- the central route and the peripheral route -Message recipients will take central route-paying close attention to quality of its arguments-when they have both the motivation and ability to do so. This produces lasting change that resists fading and counterattacks. -If either of these is missing, recipients will take the peripheral route-focusing on some factor other than quality, such as the mere number of arguments or the status or attractiveness of the communicator. This produces temporary change that is susceptible to fading and counterattacks.

Theory of Planned Behavior

-Subjective norms and perceive behavioral control are to additional factors besides attitudes that influence behavior through their impact on behavioral intentions, -Subjective norms: person's perception that important others would approve or disprove of the behavior in question -Perceive behavioral control: person's perception of how difficult it is to perform the behavior in question. -Ex: Even if you would really like to campaign for gun control changes (attitude) and even if sig. people in life would respect you for it (subjective norm), you probably would not intent to do it if time limitations or other circumstances made it seem unrealistic.

Balance Theory

-We all prefer to have harmony and consistency in our views of the world. This creates a state of cognitive balance in us (content, no need to change). -If cog. system out of balance (i.e. disagree on an issue with person we like) we will experience uncomfortable tension -To remove this tension, we will have to change something in the system. -People do change view to keep the connections involving themselves, communicators, and communication topics in harmony. -Advertisers capitalize on this by choosing famous spokespeople for their products -poll: 76% of consumers would switch to a brand or product connected to favorably viewed causes

Cognitive Dissonance

-When people recognize an inconsistence among their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors, they will feel a state of uncomfortable psychological arousal and will be motivated to reduce the discomfort by reducing the inconsistency. -People will be motivated to reduce an inconsistency only to the extent that it involves something important. -Helps explain why strong dissonance effects rarely occur unless the self is involved -Shows that changing a behavior first can spur an individual to change related attitudes and beliefs in an attempt to keep them consistent with the action.

Nonreactive Measurement

-covert techniques (i.e. observation) are preferred when people have good reason to lie about true feelings (appear more fair or unprejudiced) because they are a more nonreactive measurement than self-reports -Using them to record response is less likely to distort response

Counterarguments

-giving audience members little time to formulate counterarguments or giving them distracting or overburdening tasks that drain their ability to make counterarguments makes audience members more susceptible to persuasion -people also generate fewer counterarguments against a position if they learn than an expert holds it

Impression motivation

-the motivation to achieve approval -tendency can sometimes conflict with other two-persuasion goals of accuracy and consistency -high-self monitors (constantly monitor and modify public selves to fit what is socially appropriate) more motivated by social approval goal and more likely to be persuaded by ads that promoted socially appealing images -Social approval more relevant when people expect to have to discuss their views with another -Women more readily influenced, tendency strongest in group pressure contexts, approved gender role is to foster cohesiveness and consensus

Persuasion

Changes in a private attitude or belief (thoughts-cognitions- about these things) as a result of receiving a message.

Attitude

a positive or negative evaluation of a particular things