4.2 Attitude Formation and Attitude Change

Persuasion

• Changing people’s attitudes, potentially influencing their actions.

• A method of teaching that involves direct instruction.

• A technique used to gather data through surveys.

• A process of making decisions based on logical reasoning.

Peripheral Route Persuasion

• Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness.

• Occurs when people are persuaded by the content of the message.

• Occurs when people are influenced by logical reasoning and facts.

• Occurs when people are motivated by their personal beliefs.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort we feel when our thoughts are inconsistent.

• A theory that suggests we should always act according to our beliefs.

• The idea that cognitive processes are always rational and consistent.

• A concept that explains how we can ignore conflicting information.

Attitudes

• Feelings that are always positive and never influenced by beliefs.

• Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events.

• Emotions that are temporary and do not affect our behavior.

• Thoughts that are based solely on facts and evidence.

Foot-in-the-door phenomenon

• The tendency for people to refuse all requests regardless of size.

• The tendency for people to comply with a larger request after agreeing to a small one.

• The tendency for people to agree to requests only if they are made by friends.

• The tendency for people to ignore requests that seem unreasonable.

Role

• A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

• A type of social interaction that occurs between individuals.

• A formal title given to someone in a professional setting.

• A collection of personal traits and characteristics of an individual.

Central Route Persuasion

• Occurs when people are influenced by superficial cues such as attractiveness or credibility.

• Occurs when interested people’s thinking is influenced by considering evidence and arguments.

• Occurs when persuasion is achieved through emotional appeals rather than logical reasoning.

• Occurs when individuals are persuaded by the number of arguments presented, regardless of their quality.