Influence Theories
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Influence Theories
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
The Key Points:
People seek consistency in their lives.
People are sensitive to contradictions and inconsistencies.
Dissonance (discomfort, guilt, doubt) fosters attitude change.
The Rules of Consistency
People Expect Consistency: “My behavior is consistent with my self- concept”
Inconsistencies Create Dissonance
— Uncomfortable and tense experiences
— Stress-like physiology
— If dissonance was a pill, would you buy it?
Dissonance fosters the desire for consistency
— Dissonance can be reduced by changing ones perception of the relevant behavior .
— Dissonance can be reduced by changing perception of ones self.
Doing Dissonance
Planning Is Important
Get and Hold Internal Attribution
— Free Choice
— No Rewards
— No External Excuse (e.g., external cause or blame)
Cause Negative Inconsistency
— Get a behavioral commitment.
The person(s) should actually do the inconsistency (the inconsistent behavior)
— Let the person(s) do the work.
Dont you criticize the persons “stupidity.”
Focus on Behavior, not Self Concept
— Let attitude change toward Behavior be your Goal
— Avoid direct attacks on Self Concept
Implications
Worse Is Best: more inconsistency, more dissonance, more change
Interesting Explanation for Counter-Intuitive Behaviors:
— Initiation, Military boot camp, Collegel
— Abusive Relationships
— Relatively Small Advertising Effects (Politics)
Internal and External Attribution
Consequences of Failed Persuasion
Social Influence
Definition of an Attitude
Attitude = ones evaluative orientation toward a person, thing, idea, etc.
Do you like Shredded Wheat?
Will you vote for Al Gore for president?
Do you prefer lecture course or seminars?
Whats your favorite Friday evening activity?
Is Seinfeld funny?
Persuasion
Often studied as changing peoples attitudes
Goal is usually to change their behavior
Attitude-behavior link too often is weak
Communication focuses on noncoercive verbal influence
Most real situations are partly coercive
How would you define coercion? Voluntary?
Think about choice within constraints
Social Judgment Theory
Key Point: attitude change (persuasion) is mediated by judgmental processes and effects. Put differently, persuasion occurs at the end of the process where a person understands a message then compares the position it advocates to the persons position on that issue.
A persons position on an issue is dependent on:
the persons most preferred position (his/her anchor point)
the persons