1. LECTURE 8 Changing Attitudes (and Behaviours)
Administration
Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Factors that Influence the Effectiveness of the Persuasion
Don’t Vote clip
Break
Cialdini’s Six Principles of Persuasion
7) Next Classes

2. Persuasion
The process by which a message induces change in feelings, attitudes, or behaviours.
How do we get people to feel, believe, and do what we want them to feel, believe, and do?

3. Elaboration Likelihood Model

4. Elaboration Likelihood Model
Persuasion via the Central Route:
A focus on the actual content of the arguments that stimulates thinking about the new attitude (also known as systematic processing)
Persuasion via the Peripheral Route:
Acceptance is triggered by incidental cues (e.g., attractiveness of the speaker) without much thinking (also known as heuristic-based processing)

5. Increasing Minimum Wage
Central Route Peripheral Route
Great arguments.
I’m convinced!
He sounds smart.
I’m convinced!

6. Central Route Peripheral Route

7. Elaboration Likelihood Model

8. Motivation x Ability Motivation to process the arguments
Factors related to motivation that influence the likelihood that you will elaborate on the issues
Personal relevance
Responsibility for evaluating message
Need for Cognition/Need for Closure
Incongruent information

9. Motivation x Ability Ability to process the arguments
Factors related to ability that influence if you can process the information in the arguments
Message clarity
Repeating the message
Distraction/time pressure
Channel of communication (print)
Individual differences in intelligence

10. Motivation x Ability Motivated Yes No Yes central Ability to Process

11. Argument quality is important to the Central Route:
Strong arguments – make you more favourable toward the object/issue
Weak arguments – make you less favourable toward the object/issue

12. Elaboration Likelihood Model

13. Attitudes changed via the Central Route are:
Stronger Attitudes:
longer lasting
more predictive of behavior
more resistant to change

14. Motivation x Ability Motivated Yes No Yes peripheral Ability to
Process
No peripheral peripheral

15. Elaboration Likelihood Model

16. Argument quality is less important to the Peripheral Route:
Strong arguments and weak arguments can have the same effect.
Strong arguments are less impactful.
Weak arguments are less damaging.

17. Attitudes changed via the Peripheral Route are:
Weaker attitudes:
less longer lasting; more temporary
less predictive of behaviour
less resistant to other people trying to influence our attitudes

18. Ingredients of Persuasive Appeal Yale Attitude Change Approach
Communicator (who said it?)
Message (what was said?)
Audience (to whom?)

19. Communicator Credibility Attractiveness Expertise
Trustworthiness/Self-Interest
Likeability
Attractiveness
Physical Appeal
Similarity

20. Message (besides quality of arguments)
Two-sided versus one-sided arguments
Two-sided are better if you can refute the other side
Emotion
positive feelings (peripheral processing)
fear (motivating especially if have plan)
Discrepancy (latitude of acceptance)
Credibility of communicator
Involvement of audience
Primacy versus recency
Primacy normally better

21. Message – Primacy/Recency
Primacy Effects: Information presented first has the most influence
Message1…Message2…………….….Response
Recency Effects: Information presented last has the most influence
Message 1…………………Message2…Response

22. Audience What are they thinking?
The ability and motivation to counter-argue is the key to whether persuasion works (via the central route)
Forewarned
Distraction
Involvement
Need for Cognition/Need for Closure
Innoculation

23. NEED FOR COGNITION
A personality variable reflecting the extent to which people engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive activities.
Sample Items:
I usually end up deliberating about issues even when they do not affect me personally.
I only think as hard as I have to. (R)

24. NEED FOR CLOSURE
A personality variable reflecting the desire to possess some knowledge on a given topic, any definite knowledge as opposed to confusion and ambiguity.
Sample Items:
I usually make important decisions quickly and confidently.
I feel uncomfortable when someone’s meaning or intention is unclear to me.

25. ATTITUDE INNOCULATION
The process of making people immune to attempts to change their attitudes by initially exposing them to small doses of the arguments against their position.

26. Don’t Vote Clip

27. Yale Attitude Change Approach
1. Communicator (who said it?)
Credibility (Expert, Trustworthy/Self-Interest, Likeability)
Attractiveness (Physical Appeal, Similarity)
2. Message (what was said?)
Two-sided versus one-sided arguments
Emotion (Positive Feelings, Fear)
Discrepancy
3. Audience (to whom?)
The ability and motivation to counter-argue (Forewarned, Involvement, Inoculation)

28. Elaboration Likelihood Model

29. Voter Turnout in 2008 US Election
2012 – 55%
2008 – 57%
2004 – 56%
2000 – 50%
1996 – 49%
*** How did voter turnout influence the 2008 US election? What was the ad really about?

30. Voter Turnout in Canadian Federal Elections
October 2015 – 69%
2011 – 61%
2008 – 59% (lowest in Canadian history)
2006 – 65%
2004 – 61%
2000 – 64%
1997 – 67%

31. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Robert Cialdini (2001) – Participant Observer

32. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
Consistency
After you commit yourself to a position, you are more likely to comply with requests consistent with that position.
foot-in-the door
bait and switch
low-ball
legitimizing paltry favors
how are you feeling technique

33. Foot-in-door
Presented with a small request (that almost everyone would agree to), followed by a larger request
Operates due to the consistency principle (if I act in a certain way initially, I have to continue to act in a similar way)

34. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
Social Validation
You use others as a standard of comparison, especially if they are similar to you.
List technique
Littering studies
(Cialdini, Reno & Kallgren, 1990)
Norms
Salience of norms (whether notice norms or not)

35. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
2. Social Validation
Iron Eyes Cody Ad
Effective in reducing littering?
Injunctive norms vs Descriptive norms
How improve this ad?

36. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
Reciprocity
You are more willing to comply with a request if someone has previously provided you with a favor or concession.
Reciprocation of favours
Name stickers, flower seeds,
Reciprocation of concessions
Door in face

37. Door-in-the-face Cialdini et al., 1975
Delinquent kids study
Presented with a LARGE request (expected to refuse), followed by a smaller, more reasonable request (expected to accept)
Operates due to the reciprocity norm (if I do something nice for you, you should do something nice for me)

38. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
4. Friendship/Liking
You are more likely to comply with a request from a friend or someone you like.
Tupperware, Lingerie, Jewelry Parties
Neighbourhood Breast Cancer Garage Sale
Save the Children Campaign

39. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
Scarcity – limit on products, time, etc.
Things seem more valuable if the opportunities to buy them are scarce in time or amount.
Boxing Day/Black Friday
Only This Weekend!
Gone is gone

40. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
Authority
You are more willing to comply to a request from a legitimate authority.
Milgram studies next lecture, military, etc.

41. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
If you wanted to get some money from your parents, would you first:
ask for $20 and then ask for $100 (start small)
or would you
b) ask for $100 and then ask for $20 (start big)
Door in Face
Principle of Reciprocity of Concessions

42. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
If you want to get someone to help you move, would you first:
tell them you only have a few things and then later tell them you have a lot (start small)
or would you
tell them that you have a lot and then later tell them that you only have a few things (start big)
Foot in Door
Principle of Consistency

43. Six Persuasion Principles Robert Cialdini (2001)
Consistency (e.g., foot-in-the door)
Social Validation (actions/attitudes of others)
Reciprocity (of favors and concessions)
Friendship/liking
Scarcity
Authority

44. Next Class Class 9: Conformity and Group Dynamics (March 3rd)
Reading material:
Chapter 7: Conformity: Influencing Others, pp
Chapter 8: Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups, pp