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Process by which a message induces change in beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors

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Central Route› Occurs when interested people focus on

the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts

Peripheral Route› Occurs when people are influenced by

incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness Focuses on cues that trigger automatic

acceptance without much thinking

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Different Paths for Different Purposes› Peripheral route

Superficial and temporary attitude change

› Central route More durable and more likely to influence

behavior

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Figure 7.2 5

Who Says? The Communicator› Credibility

Believability Sleeper effect

Delayed impact of a message that occurs when an initially discounted message becomes effective, as we remember the message but forget the reason for discounting it

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Who Says? The Communicator› Credibility

Perceived expertise Speak confidently

Perceived trustworthiness Eye contact Arguing against own self-interest Speak quickly

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Who Says? The Communicator› Attractiveness and liking

Physical attractiveness Similarity

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What Is Said? The Message Content› Reason versus emotion

Effect of good feelings Effect of arousing fear

› Discrepancy Depends on the communicator’s credibility

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What Is Said? The Message Content› One-sided versus two-sided appeals

Which one is more effective? Depends on whether the audience already agrees

with the message; if the audience is unaware of opposing arguments, it is unlikely later to consider the opposition

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What Is Said? The Message Content› Primacy versus recency

Primacy effect Other things being equal, information presented

first usually has the most influence

Recency effect Information presented last sometimes has the most

influence. Recency effects are less common than primacy effects

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Figure 7.6 12

How Is It Said? The Channel of Communication› Active experience or passive reception?

Active experience strengthens attitudes Repetition and rhyming of a statement

serves to increase its fluency and believability

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How Is It Said? The Channel of Communication› Personal versus media influence

Media influence: The two-step flow communication Process by which media influence often occurs

through opinion leaders, who in turn influence others

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How Is It Said? The Channel of Communication› Personal versus

media influence Comparing media

The more lifelike the medium, the more persuasive its message

Figure 7.8 15

To Whom Is It Said? The Audience› How old are they?

Life cycle explanation Attitudes change as people grow older

Generational explanation Attitudes do not change; older people largely hold

onto the attitudes they adopted when they were young

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To Whom Is It Said? The Audience› What are they thinking?

Forewarned is forearmed–If you care enough to counterargue

Distraction disarms counterarguing Words can promote candidate/product Visual images keep us occupied so we don’t

analyze the words

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To Whom Is It Said? The Audience› What are they thinking?

Uninvolved audiences use peripheral cues Ways to stimulate people’s thinking

Use rhetorical questions Present multiple speakers Make people feel responsible Repeat the message Get people’s undistracted attention

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Cult› “New religious movement”› Group typically characterized by

Distinctive ritual and beliefs related to its devotion to a god or a person

Isolation from the surrounding “evil” culture Charismatic leader

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Attitudes Follow Behavior› Compliance breeds acceptance

Initiates become active members of the group

› Foot-in-the-door phenomenon Gradual induction

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Persuasive Elements› Communicator› Message› Audience

Figure 7.9 21

Group Effects› Social implosion

Isolation of members with like minded groups External ties weaken until the group collapses

inward socially Monasteries Fraternities and sororities Therapeutic communities for recovering drug and

alcohol abusers

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Strengthening Personal Commitment› Challenging beliefs› Developing counterarguments

Attitude inoculation Exposing people to weak attacks upon their

attitudes so that when stronger attacks come, they will have refutation available

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Real-Life Applications: Inoculation Programs› Inoculating children

against: Peer pressure to

smoke The influence of

advertising

Figure 7.10 24

Prepare others to counter persuasive appeals

An ineffective appeal can be worse than none

A way to strengthen existing attitudes is to weakly challenge them

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