Communication discrepancy and intent to persuade as determinants of counterargument production

doi:10.1016/0022-1031(67)90031-5

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

Volume 3, Issue 3, July 1967, Pages 296-309

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(67)90031-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

What attributes of prospective propaganda affect amount of anticipatory counterargumentation? One hundred and sixty-one introductory psychology students were asked to list their thoughts before reading a communication advocating an increase in tuition at their university. The manipulated independent variables were communication discrepancy (amount of advocated increase in tuition), whether or not the authors of the forthcoming communication intended to persuade, and the inclusion or not of a “priming” counterargument illustration. The principal dependent variable was a counterargument score obtained from coding precommunication thoughts written in the ten-minute interval before the communication was presented. A second dependent variable was subsequent acceptance of the communication. Counterarguing was increased by communication discrepancy (p < .001), by the perceived intent of the communicators to persuade (p < .10), and by the inclusion of a “priming” counterargument (p < .001). None of the interactions approached reliability. Statistically large inverse within-cell correlations between counterarguing and measures of communication acceptance suggested that prior counterarguing increased resistance to the communication. Examination of others' results relating to communication discrepancy and forewarning led to the recommendation that working theoretical models of communication and persuasion be broadened to include registration of warning and active defensive coping as integral phases of all social influence processes.

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^☆: This work was supported by grant GS-606 from the National Science Foundation. I am greatly indebted to A. G. Greenwald and T. M. Ostrom for their criticisms and suggestions. The assistance of L. A. Becker and E. Haussermann is acknowledged with gratitude.

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Communication discrepancy and intent to persuade as determinants of counterargument production☆

Abstract

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

Reduction of cognitive dissonance by seeking consonant information

Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

The effectiveness of unanticipated persuasive communications

Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

Communicator credibility and communication discrepancy as determinants of opinion change

Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

Behavioral receptivity to dissonant information

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Attitude change and social influence

On resistance to persuasive communications

Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

Involvement, discrepancy, and change

Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

Warning, distraction, and resistance to influence

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Communication and persuasion

Experiments in mass communication

Communicator discrepancy, stimulus ambiguity, and influence

Journal of Personality