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The relative effects of the number of arguments, number of argument sources and number of opinion positions in group‐mediated opinion change
Author(s) -
Stasson Mark F.,
Davis James H.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8309.1989.tb00867.x
Subject(s) - argument (complex analysis) , social psychology , psychology , public opinion , group (periodic table) , law , political science , politics , medicine , chemistry , organic chemistry
Components of majority faction influence (the number of member opinion positions, persuasive arguments, and argument sources) on individual member opinions (personal and group response recommendations) were investigated within a computerized communication environment. One hundred and thirty‐three male and 120 female university students participated in four‐person same‐sex groups and received pre‐structured opinions and arguments ostensibly from the other group members on each of two opinion issues. The number of member opinion positions provided (either none, one or three) was crossed with the number of persuasive arguments provided (either three or six) and the number of argument sources either all arguments from one source or one‐third of the arguments from each of three sources). The number of arguments and sources significantly and independently affected personal opinion change (the number of positions was marginally significant); but recommended group decisions were significantly influenced by the number of opinion positions and an interaction between the number of arguments and sources, the number of sources was significant only when three arguments were presented. Discussion emphasized the need to recognize and elaborate on different notions of ‘majority’ influence.