Attitudes and Persuasion BA 362 - Fall 2000 Attitudes and Persuasion

How can we model consumer attitudes effectively? Multiattribute approach is most common Attribute beliefs and importances Additive model Belief and importance profiles very useful for diagnosis (Taurus example) Comparative brand perceptions Segmentation Cognitive responses - reactions matter

Is there a general framework for understanding how to change consumers' attitudes? The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) provides a framework There are two main routes to persuasion Central route (diligent message processing) Peripheral route (cues) Elaboration likelihood determines which route is used - if high, use central route Elaboration likelihood a function of Motivation to process - e.g., involvement, fear, need for cognition Ability to process - e.g., distraction, repetition, time of day When both motivation and ability are high, elaboration likelihood is high

What are some important factors for central route persuasion? Fear appeals Protection motivation - severity, vulnerability, coping efficacy, self-efficacy; all need to be high Need source credibility, immediate, concrete action steps Involvement

What are important factors related to the peripheral route? Humor - complex effects Distraction - hinders dominant response Credibility of the source Celebrities and their meanings (e.g., Jordan, Woods) Computer-mediated communication and peripheral factors (Moon’s research - distance, latency of response)

Hot New Research - what influences computer-mediated persuasion Hot New Research - what influences computer-mediated persuasion? (Youngme Moon, “The Effects of Physical Distance and Response Latency on Persuasion in Computer-Mediated Communication and Human-Computer Communication,” Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 1999, 5, 379-392) More persuasive information is being presented in non face-to-face contexts via computer. Moon argues that consumers treat computers as social actors. However, many typical persuasion cues about the source are not available in computer-mediated contexts (e.g., attractiveness, vocal characteristics, gestures). Hence, people may respond to peripheral cues. Moon examines the effects of two such cues, the supposed location or physical distance of the computer “source” from the individual and the latency of response to the individual’s inputs. She finds that individuals are more persuaded if the computer “source” is seemingly closer rather than farther away. She finds an inverted-U relationship for response time: very fast or very slow responses are less persuasive, with moderate response times being most persuasive. Very slow is frustrating, and very fast may indicate insufficient deliberation about the individual’s inputs.