12.3 Attitudes and Persuasion
2 min read•june 25, 2024
We all have attitudes that shape our behavior. But what happens when our thoughts and actions don't line up? theory explains why we feel uncomfortable when our beliefs clash with our actions, and how we try to resolve that inner conflict.
is everywhere, from ads to politics. The shows how we process persuasive messages, either through careful thinking or quick judgments. Understanding these processes can help us navigate a world full of influence attempts.
Attitudes and Attitude Change
Cognitive Dissonance
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- Cognitive dissonance theory explains people strive for consistency between attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, and inconsistency leads to discomfort (dissonance) which motivates them to reduce dissonance by changing attitudes or behaviors
- Dissonance reduction strategies include changing attitudes to align with behavior (rationalizing), changing behavior to align with attitudes (quitting smoking), adding consonant cognitions to justify inconsistency (smoking relieves stress), or trivializing the importance of inconsistent cognitions (occasional smoking is not harmful)
- Factors influencing dissonance magnitude are the importance of cognitions involved (health consequences of smoking), number of dissonant cognitions (multiple reasons smoking is bad), and ability to rationalize or justify inconsistency (addiction makes quitting difficult)
Persuasion and Influence
Elaboration Likelihood Model
- Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) proposes two routes to persuasion: involving high elaboration and careful consideration of arguments, and involving low elaboration and reliance on cues and
- Central route factors include argument quality (strong evidence), personal relevance (issue affects one's life), and need for cognition (enjoys thinking), and leads to more enduring (long-lasting opinion)
- Peripheral route factors include source attractiveness (celebrity endorsement), credibility (expert opinion), and likeability (friendly salesperson), and leads to temporary change (short-term preference)
- High motivation and ability to process information leads to central route processing (complex issue), while low motivation or ability leads to peripheral route processing (time pressure)
Persuasion Techniques
- involves making a small request before a larger one (signing a petition before donating), and initial increases likelihood of agreeing to larger request due to self-perception theory (seeing oneself as helpful), consistency (maintaining commitments), and commitment (feeling obligated)
- involves making a large request before a smaller one (asking for 10), and rejection of large request makes smaller request seem more reasonable due to (feeling indebted), contrast effect (smaller request seems less demanding), and guilt (wanting to help after saying no)
- involves offering an attractive deal, then changing terms after commitment (raising price after agreement), and initial commitment increases likelihood of accepting less favorable terms due to consistency (sticking to decisions), sunk costs (time already invested), and cognitive dissonance (justifying choice)
Key Terms to Review (21)
Affective Component: The affective component refers to the emotional or feeling aspect of an attitude. It encompasses the emotions, moods, and feelings that are associated with a particular attitude or belief. This component is a crucial element in the tripartite model of attitudes, which also includes the cognitive and behavioral components.
Attitude: An attitude is a relatively enduring evaluation or feeling towards an object, person, issue, or action. It encompasses our beliefs, emotions, and behavioral tendencies towards something, and can influence how we perceive and respond to it.
Attitude Change: Attitude change refers to the process of modifying or altering an individual's beliefs, feelings, and behavioral tendencies towards a particular object, person, or issue. It is a central concept in the study of persuasion and social influence, as it explores how attitudes can be shaped and transformed through various means.
Behavioral Component: The behavioral component refers to the overt actions and responses that are associated with a particular attitude or belief. It represents the way an individual's attitudes and beliefs manifest in their observable behaviors and actions.
Central Route: The central route is a type of information processing in the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion. It involves the careful and thoughtful consideration of the merits and arguments presented in a persuasive message, leading to a more lasting attitude change.
Cognitive Component: The cognitive component of an attitude refers to the beliefs, thoughts, and knowledge an individual has about the attitude object. It represents the informational or intellectual basis of an attitude, encompassing the person's understanding, perceptions, and evaluations of the attitude target.
Cognitive Dissonance: Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when an individual holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time. It describes the tension that arises when a person's behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs are inconsistent with one another.
Compliance: Compliance refers to the act of conforming or yielding to a request, command, or proposal. It involves the voluntary or involuntary acceptance of another's influence, often in the context of social interactions and interpersonal dynamics.
Door-in-the-Face Technique: The door-in-the-face technique is a compliance-gaining strategy in which a person makes an unreasonably large initial request, expecting it to be rejected, and then follows up with a more reasonable request. The goal is to increase the likelihood of the second, more modest request being accepted.
Effort Justification: Effort justification is the tendency for people to ascribe greater value or importance to an outcome or activity if they have invested significant time, energy, or resources into it. This psychological phenomenon occurs when individuals seek to rationalize or validate the effort they have expended, often leading to increased commitment or attachment to the outcome.
Elaboration Likelihood Model: The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) is a theory of attitude change that explains how people process and respond to persuasive messages. It suggests that people can be persuaded through two different routes: the central route, which involves careful consideration of the message's content, and the peripheral route, which relies on more superficial cues like the source's credibility or the message's attractiveness.
Foot-in-the-Door Technique: The foot-in-the-door technique is a persuasion strategy where an individual is more likely to agree to a larger request after first agreeing to a smaller, related request. This approach leverages the human tendency to want to appear consistent in their behavior and commitments.
Heuristics: Heuristics are simple, efficient rules that people often use to form judgments and make decisions, especially when facing complex problems or incomplete information. They act as mental shortcuts that allow individuals to solve problems and make judgments quickly, though they may not always lead to the most optimal or accurate outcomes.
Insufficient Justification Effect: The insufficient justification effect refers to the phenomenon where individuals who are given a small incentive or reason to engage in a behavior are more likely to continue that behavior in the future, compared to those who are given a larger incentive or reason. This effect suggests that when the justification for an action is insufficient, people are more likely to internalize the behavior and make it part of their attitudes and beliefs.
Low-ball Technique: The low-ball technique is a persuasive strategy where an individual is initially offered an attractive, low-cost option, only to have the price or terms increased later on. This tactic aims to get the target to agree to the initial offer, making them more likely to accept the higher price or less favorable terms when revealed later.
Peripheral Route: The peripheral route is a process of attitude change that occurs when an individual is exposed to persuasive messages or information, but their attention is focused more on peripheral cues rather than the central merits of the argument. This approach to persuasion relies on heuristics, emotional appeals, and other peripheral factors to influence the individual's attitudes and beliefs.
Persuasion: Persuasion is the process of influencing someone's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors through effective communication and reasoning. It involves using various strategies and techniques to change or reinforce an individual's perspective on a particular topic or issue.
Post-Decisional Dissonance: Post-decisional dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort experienced after making a decision. It occurs when an individual's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors are in conflict with the choice they have made, leading to a state of cognitive dissonance.
Reciprocity: Reciprocity is the principle of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit. It involves a mutual exchange of actions or benefits between two or more parties, where each party both gives and receives in return.
Social Influence: Social influence is the process by which individuals or groups can affect the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of others. It is a fundamental concept in social psychology that explores how people's actions, attitudes, and beliefs are shaped by the presence and actions of others around them.
Social Proof: Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people's behaviors and decisions are influenced by the actions and choices of others, particularly those perceived as similar or in a position of authority. It is a powerful tool of persuasion that can shape attitudes and behaviors in various contexts.