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Attitude change following persuasive communication: Integrating Social Judgment Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model
Author(s) -
Siero Frans W.,
Doosje Bert Jan
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
european journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1099-0992
pISSN - 0046-2772
DOI - 10.1002/ejsp.2420230510
Subject(s) - persuasion , psychology , elaboration likelihood model , social psychology , elaboration , attitude change , test (biology) , variables , attitude , computer science , paleontology , philosophy , machine learning , humanities , biology
An experiment was conducted to examine the influence of the perceived extremity of a message and motivation to elaborate upon the process of persuasion. The first goal was to test a model of attitude change relating Social Judgment Theory to the Elaboration Likelihood Model. The second objective was to develop an instrument to measure attitude structure (latitudes of acceptance, non‐commitment, and rejection) that allowed for a more refined assessment of the discrepancy between the position advocated in a message and the recipient's initial attitude. The main dependent variable was the attitude towards the use of automobiles in relation to environmental issues. Subjects were confronted with a message located in their own latitude of acceptance, rejection or non‐commitment. Shortly after, a second measurement of attitude took place. The results showed that messages within the latitudes of non‐commitment gave rise to the greatest attitude change. The data support the susceptibility hypothesis that subjects elaborate messages mainly in the latitude of non‐commitment.