Persuasion, action and change of attitudes

One of the most important and disseminated ways of changing attitudes, is through communication. Not all persuasive messages manage to convince people. Psychosocial factors influence the least or greater efficacy of a persuasive message.

Studies on persuasion

The Yale University Research Group

Research developed by Hovland and McGuare, among others.

According to this approach, for a persuasive message to change attitude and behavior, it has to change the thoughts previously o Beliefs of the message receiver. This change in beliefs will occur whenever the receiver receives beliefs other than his, accompanied by incentives.

Key elements In the persuasion process, on which the effectiveness of the persuasive message will depend: the source. The content of the message. The communicative channel. The context.

The effects of the 4 elements are modulated by the characteristics of the receptors:

• degree of susceptibility to persuasion
• previous beliefs
• self-esteem.

The Psychological effects that messages can produce on the receiver:

• Attention (not all messages that are issued with the intention of persuading reach the receptors. If not attended, it will not have an effect).
• Understanding (messages too complex or ambiguous can be lost without influencing receptors).
• Acceptance (when receivers agree with the persuasive message. It depends on the incentives offered for the receiver).
• Retention (necessary if it is intended that persuasive communication has a long -term effect).

Processes that occur in the receiver of persuasive information (McGuare): Reception and acceptance: Most of the variables on which the effectiveness of a persuasive message can depend, can be analyzed according to their effects on these two factors, which do not always have to go in the same direction.

The theory of cognitive response

It focuses on cognitive processes that occur in the messages of the messages (already evident in the McGuire approach).

Whenever a receiver receives a message, compare what the source says with its previous knowledge, feelings and attitudes, generating "cognitive responses". If the thoughts go in the direction indicated by the message, the persuasion will take place.

If it goes in the opposite direction there will be no persuasion, and the "boomerang effect" can occur.

Receptors are not persuaded by the source or message but by their own answers Before what the source or message say. The important thing is to determine what factors and how they influence the amount of arguments that the receiver generates.

The amount of arguments that the receiver generates depends on: distraction (decreases them), the personal implication of the receiver (increases them). If self -generated arguments are in favor of the message, the distraction makes persuasion less. If the arguments go against the message, the distraction makes the persuasion greater.

The heuristic model

Many times we are persuaded without us noticing. We are persuaded because we follow certain heuristic decision rules, which we have learned from experience and observation.

Persuasion is the result of: Some superficial signal or characteristic of the message (length or number of arguments). Of the source that emits it (attractive or experience). Of the reactions of the other people who receive the same message. Some of the heuristics used are based on: The experience of the source: "You can trust experts". In similarity: "similar people like similar things". In consensus: "It must be good when everyone applauds". The number or length of the arguments used: "With so much to say, you must have a solid knowledge". There are also other applicable heuristics in specific situations: "statistics do not lie".

It is more likely that heuristic rules are used when:

1. There is low motivation.
2. There is low capacity to understand the message.
3. There is a high prominence of the heuristic rule.
4. The elements external to the message themselves are very striking.

The model of elaboration probability

Produced by Petty and Cacioppo.

It focuses on the processes responsible for the change in attitude, when a message is received and, on the force of the attitudes that result from these processes. When we receive a message, we have 2 strategies To decide whether or not we accept it:

1. Central route: A critical evaluation of the message is performed.
2. Peripheral route: Describes the change in attitude that occurs without the need for much thought around the content of the message. Attitudes are more affected by elements external to the message itself. Coincides with heuristic processing. The change in attitude through the central route is more durable and more resistant to the opposite persuasion.

The 2 strategies constitute the two extremes of the Continuous probability of elaboration:

• When the probability of elaboration is very high, the central route is being used. When it is very low, the peripheral route is being used.
• In Both cases may be persuasion, But the nature of the persuasive process is different. The ends of the continuum differ quantitatively (As the receiver moves to the high probability end of elaboration, the central route processes increase in magnitude, and vice versa), and qualitatively (When close to the low elaboration end, peripheral mechanisms, not only involve thinking less about the merits of the arguments, but also think otherwise).

There are peripheral mechanisms, that imply little effort, and that produce a change in attitude, without the need for processing of information merits: the CC, the identification of the message source, or the effects of mere exposure. At intermediate or moderate levels of probability of elaboration, the persuasion process represents a complex mixture of the characteristic processes of each of the routes.

If the receiver takes the central route, the change in attitude will depend on the thoughts that the communication generates in the receiver: if the communication generates favorable cognitive responses, Attitudes must change in the direction defended by the source. If he evokes non -favorable cognitive responses, the change in attitude will be inhibited in the direction defended by the source or, it could even occur in the opposite sense ("boomerang effect").

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