Processing of Behavior-Related Communications as a Function of Cognitive Elaboration: A Multiple-Stage Model

A series of experiments provided support for a sequential-stage model of persuasion in which the type of cognitive processing that occurs at each stage depends on the ability to think about the information available. Both elaborative and nonelaborative processes are taken into account. Participants received a persuasive message advocating support of a referendum to institute comprehensive examinations at their university. When participants were able and motivated to concentrate on the message content, they computed their beliefs in the arguments presented and evaluated their implications, and used these beliefs and evaluations as bases for their attitude toward the behavior. This attitude, in turn, influenced their behavioral intentions. When participants were distracted from thinking carefully about the message content, however, they were more likely to use the message-irrelevant affect they happened to be experiencing as a basis for their attitudes toward the behavior, and these attitudes then affected their beliefs in and evaluations of the message content, as well as the behavior they manifested. The implications of these results for persuasion and attitude formation are discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Albarracin, Dolores

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robert S. Wyer

• Speech Communication

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9812518

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82218