I'm Judging You
Name the 3 latitudes in Social Judgement Theory. Which is associated with assimilation effects? Which is associated with contrast effects?
Latitude of Acceptance (assimilation)
Latitude of Rejection (contrast)
Latitude of Noncommitment
List the 5 attitude functions described in class.
1. Knowledge (Object Appraisal)
2. Utilitarian
3. Value-Expressive
4. Social-Adjustive
5. Ego-Defensive
List the 4 processes in message learning (in order). Then, list the 4 IVs that can make an impact during each of the stages.
Processes: Attention -> Comprehension -> Yielding -> Retention.
IVs: Source, Message, Recipient, Channel
Describe the reverse incentive effect.
Worse incentives ($1 reward) make the task seem more favorable than better incentives ($20 reward).
According to the Self Standards Model, if the behavior is being compared to a normative standard (stemming from cultural norms), this follows the _____________ view, but if the behavior is being compared to a personal standard, this follows the ____________ view.
1. Aversive Consequences Model
2. Self-Consistency
Nhi spends 30 minutes relaxing in a hot bowl of soup. She then steps into a lukewarm cup of lemonade. She shouts "OMG this is so cold!" Which theory explains this contrast?
Adaptation Level Theory
According to multiple studies isolating attitude functions, high self monitors are more likely to be persuaded by ________ arguments, while low self monitors are more likely to be persuaded by ________ arguments
High self monitor: social-adjustive
Low self monitor: value-expressive or utilitarian
When are one-sided messages more effective? When are two-sided messages more effective?
One-sided is better if the recipient already agrees.
Two-sided is better if the recipient initially disagrees.
List 3 ways to reduce dissonance.
1. minimizing importance
2. adding consonant ideas
3. change attitudes or beliefs
When is self-perception more likely to occur than dissonance?
Under low importance/knowledge/experience associated with the attitude object. Overall, this suggests it is more likely under low elaboration.
Chanell and Isa take a survey about grading. They equally hate grading, but they have different answers to "From a scale of 1 to 10, how horrible is grading 3 assignments per semester?"
Chanell, who barely has grading experience, answered "8." Isa, who is currently drowning in grading answered "4."
Which theory explains this discrepancy in attitude content and rating?
Variable Perspective Theory
Describe the 3 effects found in the Balance Theory Jordan Paradigm.
1. Balance - people find imbalance unpleasant (preference for harmony).
2. Attraction - people prefer to like vs dislike the other person.
3. Agreement - people prefer to agree vs disagree.
True or False:
The research on message order effects found that there was no memory-attitude correlation.
True! This is often cited as the downfall of the message learning approach!
Samantha arranges their 5 types of gummies by most to least favorite shape. Stephanie forbids Samantha from eating their second favorite shape (sharks) by saying she will be a little judgmental if Samantha disobeys (mild threat). Weeks later, Samantha is allowed to any gummy shape again, and Stephanie asks Samantha to rank their preferences again. Based on the findings of the "Toy Study," where will Samantha place gummy sharks in their rankings now?
Gummy sharks will be viewed less favorably. If under severe threat, ranking would be unlikely to change.
True or False:
According to Self-Affirmation Theory, reaffirmation of self (through values) only reduces dissonance if the values are in the same domain as the topic creating dissonance.
False:
The theory suggests reaffirmation in any domain should work.
True or False:
According to Social Judgement Theory, it may be beneficial for a politician to argue for a more/less extreme position than they actually believe.
True! This is because the politician's actual position might fall in the recipient's latitude of rejection. If it falls in the recipient's LOR, the recipient will view the politician's message as more extreme than it was (contrast effect).
True or False:
According to Congruity Theory, both links change the same amount to achieve congruity.
False
While both links change to equal the same value, the weakest link changes more from its starting value.
Explain the relationship between intelligence, reception, yielding, and persuasion for complex/simple messages.
Complex (strong) message: all high in yielding
-low intelligence = challenge with reception -> less persuasion
-high intelligence = understands (receives) message -> more persuasion
Simple (weak) message: all high in reception
-low intelligence = likely to yield to the argument -> more persuasion
-high intelligence = more likely to criticize argument -> less likely to yield -> less persuasion
Overall suggests highest persuasion for moderate intelligence.
True or False:
Following a decision between two similarly evaluated choices, spreading of alternative occurs. This means people like the rejected option more and more over time.
False:
Dissonance occurs after these decisions in the form of post-decision regret. However, spreading of alternatives means that your rejected choice seems less desirable than your decided choice over time (the attitude gap between them increases).
What is the role of self-esteem in self-consistency vs self-affirmation?
High self-esteem
-Self-Consistency: higher dissonance because more inconsistent with view of self.
-Self-Affirmation: lower dissonance because they can more easily restore self-integrity
Low self-esteem
-Self-Consistency: lower dissonance
-Self-Affirmation: higher dissonance
_____ effects pull views toward an existing attitude.
_____ effects pull views away from an existing attitude.
1. Assimilation
2. Contrast
What is the main difference between Balance Theory and Congruity Theory?
Balance Theory is about valence. Congruity Theory us about valence and magnitude.
What are the 5 conditions necessary for sleeper effects (4 original + 1 added later by Petty)?
Original 4:
1 = Compelling Message
2 = Strong Discounting Cue
3 = Enough time for message and source to dissociate.
4 = Not too much time for message impact to decay (impact of message still present).
5 (Added by Petty) = Elaborate on message before the discounting cue
Describe how dissonance forms using Cooper & Fazio's Aversive Consequences (New Look) Revision.
1. people consider if there are/will be aversive consequences.
2. If yes, then they consider if they are responsible for said consequences (high choice and foreseeable consequences = feelings of responsibility)
3. Unpleasant arousal (discomfort) pushes people toward resolving one or more aspects (e.g. changing one's attitude).
Both aversive consequences and personally responsibility are needed for dissonance.
Using the pill study (Zanna & Cooper, 1974), explain how dissonance differs from self-perception theory.
Dissonance argues that attitude change comes from discomfort. Self-perception theory argues that attitude change occurs from inferring the attitude from the behavior (like an outside observer). The pill study provides evidence of discomfort leading to attitude change (dissonance theory) through 3 placebo pill conditions in the counterattitudinal essay paradigm. The focus is on the high choice conditions
Pill with no side effects = moderate attitude change (fits both theories)
High arousal pill = low attitude change (misattributes discomfort to pill, supporting dissonance theory)
Low arousal pill = high attitude change (people believe they are even more uncomfortable from the inconsistency, supporting dissonance theory).