COMM 4060-Persuasion

Eaves

O=Keefe-Chapter 3-Information-Integration Models

Of Attitude

Read O=Keefe--pp. 53-75

 

Main Issues/Principles:

1) Fishbein=s Summative Model of Attitude

A) Basic Claim: one=s attitude toward an object is a function of one=s salient beliefs about the object. (Salient means prominent or noticeable)

B) Don=t get caught up in the mathematical formula--instead remember that the relation of belief strength and evaluation to attitude is interrelated

C) Use of semantic differential scales to assess attitude

(See pp. 46-7-note difference to ordered alt questionnaire)

the math is quite easy anyway--see p. 47.

Example: If your attitude about Clinton is in the following categories (4 levels of questions):

--has helped to improve the economy

--has built a strong international aid program

--is working to protect social security

--has cut taxes since he took office in 1992

b(i)=the belief you feel Clinton has done this

e(i)=the evaluation of that action, bad or good

With the 7-point semantic differential we could see the following:

b(i) e(i) b(i)e(i)

economy +3 +3 +9

intl aid +2 -3 -6

soc sec -3 +3 -9

cut tax +3 +3 +9

Total +3 (just add the third column)

D) Discussion of the model further:

1)) strong correlations of .55 to .80 on attitude toward object and predicted attitude using Fishbein= model have been documented by several independent research studies (p. 48)

2)) weakness of theory--ignores importance and relevance, only looks at belief strength. However, research has concluded in several places that such measures do NOT improve predictability

COM 306-Persuasion

Eaves

Chapter 3-(Continued)

 

E) Implication of the Model (Applications)

1) politics is obvious, using Clinton, for example, or the congressional district race here in Lowndes County

2) key is that the persuader wants the receiver to feel Asalient@ about an issue--thus we have speeches and tv ads that are continually Acolored@ with new, fresh issues that seeks to increase the Asalience@ about that issue for the voter; this also can occur can Arevisiting@ or Aresurrecting@ old issues and making them salient again--@Remember five years ago when...@

3) this theory re-enforces the idea that persuasion can occur at a micro-level--In other words, shifting from +2 in belief evaluation to +3--this is one of the strengths of the theory--pragmatic and realistic (not too idealistic like some persuasive theories are)

4) look at the application of advertising--crest toothpaste--Dentists prefer 4 to 1 <---what does this mean?

How >bout Coke versus Pepsi, the battle that will never end--How would you try to persuade someone to STOP DRINKING COKE

5) could be done through mass persuasion appeal--say the need for VSU to construct a parking garage--you could assess beliefs and attitudes of students, faculty, and staff and generate a strong persuasive campaign in your quest to accomplish this feat.

6) message content is key to persuasion, less emphasis in the theory placed on non-content (peripheral) concerns.

7) Overall, there is very little research which has documented the strong belief and evaluation link--there needs to be more research on this theory