In search of reliable persuasion effects: II. Associative interference and persistence of persuasion in a message-dense environment.

Conducted 3 experiments, with a total of 272 Ss, to test an associative learning model. Fictitious consumer-product brands were used as stimuli and brand evaluations as responses. In each experiment, Ss received messages concerning up to 54 brands drawn from up to 12 product categories. Exp I demonstrated associative interference—messages advocating diverse evaluations of similar products led to rapid decay of persuasion. Exp II demonstrated reduction of associative interference—messages advocating similar evaluative responses to similar products facilitated associative learning and attenuated decay of persuasion. Exp III demonstrated the correlation between learning of brand-evaluation associations and persuasion. Results suggest that associative learning theory can provide a useful tool for analyzing the persisting impacts of persuasive messages in message-dense environments. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In search of on-line locality effects in sentence comprehension.

Many comprehension theories assert that increasing the distance between elements participating in a linguistic relation (e.g., a verb and a noun phrase argument) increases the difficulty of establishing that relation during on-line comprehension. Such locality effects are expected to increase reading times and are thought to reveal properties and limitations of the short-term memory system that supports comprehension. Despite their theoretical importance and putative ubiquity, however, evidence for on-line locality effects is quite narrow linguistically and methodologically: It is restricted almost exclusively to self-paced reading of complex structures involving a particular class of syntactic relation. We present 4 experiments (2 self-paced reading and 2 eyetracking experiments) that demonstrate locality effects in the course of establishing subject–verb dependencies; locality effects are seen even in materials that can be read quickly and easily. These locality effects are observable in the earliest possible eye-movement measures and are of much shorter duration than previously reported effects. To account for the observed empirical patterns, we outline a processing model of the adaptive control of button pressing and eye movements. This model makes progress toward the goal of eliminating linking assumptions between memory constructs and empirical measures in favor of explicit theories of the coordinated control of motor responses and parsing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

In search of the links.

Reviews the book, Cognition, metacognition, and reading by D. L. Forrest-Pressley and T. G. Waller (1984). In the introduction to this monograph the authors point out that, in spite of receiving much recent attention, metacognition is only vaguely defined in the literature, and its relationship to cognition and cognitive activities such as reading is particularly unclear. Further, they claim that the difficulties that researchers have encountered in understanding reading is attributable to their failure to understand properly the complexity of the reading process. The solution offered by the authors is to assign metacognition a central role in reading by defining the reading process as the interaction of at least three skills--decoding, comprehension, and mature reading strategies--each of which has a cognitive and metacognitive component. The potential contribution of this volume depends upon the extent to which this approach succeeds in clarifying the concept of metacognition and advancing our understanding of the cognitive basis of reading. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of message recipients' power before and after persuasion: A self-validation analysis.

In the present research, the authors examined the effect of a message recipient's power on attitude change and introduced a new mechanism by which power can affect social judgment. In line with prior research that suggested a link between power and approach tendencies, the authors hypothesized that having power increases confidence relative to being powerless. After demonstrating this link in Experiment 1, in 4 additional studies, they examined the role of power in persuasion as a function of when power is infused into the persuasion process. On the basis of the idea that power validates whatever mental content is accessible, they hypothesized that power would have different effects on persuasion depending on when power was induced. Specifically, the authors predicted that making people feel powerful prior to a message would validate their existing views and thus reduce the perceived need to attend to subsequent information. However, it was hypothesized that inducing power after a message has been processed would validate one's recently generated thoughts and thus influence the extent to which people rely upon their thoughts in determining their attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

History of the sleeper effect: Some logical pitfalls in accepting the null hypothesis.

The history of research on the sleeper effect prior to 1978 can be divided into 5 stages: (a) initial discovery of the effect, (b) development of the underlying theory, (c) widespread acceptance of the effect and of the discounting cue explanation of it, (d) realization that past operational definitions of the effect were not isomorphic with the conceptual definition, and (e) repeated failure to demonstrate the effect once operational definitions were employed that corresponded to the conceptual definition (P. M. Gillig and A. G. Greenwald, 1974). These failures resulted in an invitation to accept the null hypothesis and to "lay sleeper effect to rest." This article illustrates why it is not justifiable to accept the null hypothesis about the sleeper effect. It is suggested that provisional acceptance of the null hypothesis depends on assuming that all the necessary theoretical, countervailing, statistical, and procedural conditions for an adequate test of the effect have been demonstrably met. It is further suggested that none of the empirical studies prior to 1978 demonstrably succeeded in meeting these conditions. However, adequate tests following the guidelines described by the authors for provisionally accepting the null hypothesis have recently been conducted, and the effect has been repeatedly found. A deductive model of the logical factors that should guide provisional acceptance of the null hypothesis is contrasted with a current model that stresses induction and statistical power analyses. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of majority versus minority source status on persuasion: A self-validation analysis.

The present research proposes that sources in the numerical majority (vs. minority) can affect persuasion by influencing the confidence with which people hold their thoughts in response to the persuasive message. Participants received a persuasive message composed of either strong or weak arguments that was presented by a majority or a minority source. Consistent with the self-validation hypothesis, we predicted and found that the majority (vs. minority) status of the source increased the confidence with which recipients held their thoughts. As a consequence, majority (vs. minority) sources increased argument quality effects in persuasion when source status information followed message processing (Experiment 1). In contrast, when the information regarding source status preceded (rather than followed) the persuasive message, it validated the perception of the position advocated, reducing message processing. As a consequence of having more confidence in the position advocated before receiving the message, majority (vs. minority) sources reduced argument quality effects in persuasion (Experiment 2). Finally, Experiment 3 isolated the timing of the source status manipulation, revealing that sources in the numerical majority (vs. minority) can increase or decrease persuasion to strong arguments depending on whether source status is introduced before or after processing the message. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In search of the typical eyewitness.

G. L. Wells (see record 1993-39684-001) convincingly argued that the experimental work on eyewitness identification can be generalized to real cases of identification. He systematically developed arguments for the use of certain procedures that optimize accurate identification rates. However, Wells's arguments for generalization require that certain assumptions are made about the "typical" eyewitness situation. The consequences of such assumptions are considered. It is concluded that generalizations about eyewitness identification must be qualified, particularly when they are made in the context of the legal setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The case of Gary: In search of post-hoc quixotic flexibility.

Responds to M. F. Hoyt's (see record 1995-22250-001) commentary on T. F. Van Denburg and E. J. Van Denburg's (see record 1994-18427-001) response to Hoyt's (see record 1994-18395-001) commentary on Van Denburg and Van Denburg's (see record 1993-06526-001) article about a case of premature therapy termination. Issues related to limits and flexibility in treatment are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The critical care unit. In search of management

Administration of inducing doses of dexamethasone (10 microg/100 g) to adrenalectomized rats results, within 2-5 min, in import of the glucocorticoid receptor from liver cytoplasm into mitochondria, as demonstrated by Western blotting and by electron microscopy. Furthermore, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) synthesized in an in vitro reticulocyte system programmed with the respective mRNA, enters within minutes to added rat liver mitochondria in the form of intact GR, as demonstrated by Western blotting using either monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against different domains of GR. In vitro studies show that the import is dependent on temperature and/or activation of the hormone-GR complex. These results, in connection with the presence in the human and rodent mitochondrial genome of sequences showing partial homology to the nuclear glucocorticoid response elements, support the hypothesis that the well documented effects of glucocorticoids on mitochondrial functions result from a direct interaction of the GR complex with the mitochondrial genome.     

Target location probability effects in visual search: An effect of sequential dependencies.

Target location probability was manipulated in a visual search task. When the target was twice as likely to appear on 1 side of the display as the other, manual button-press response times were faster (Experiment 1A) and first saccades were more frequently directed (Experiment 1B) to the more probable locations. When the target appeared with equal probability at each location in this search task, performance benefited from repetition of target location in the preceding trials (Experiment 2). When the trial sequence was constrained so that target location did not repeat within a series of 4 trials, there was no longer an advantage for more probable locations (Experiment 3). The authors conclude that the search benefits for more probable locations resulted from short-term target location repetitions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What doesn't kill me makes me stronger: The effects of resisting persuasion on attitude certainty.

The present research proposes a metacognitive framework for understanding resistance to persuasion. It is suggested that when people resist persuasion, they can become more certain of their initial attitudes. Several experiments demonstrated that when participants resisted persuasion, attitude certainty increased, but only when the attack was believed to be strong. For attacks believed to be weak, certainty was unchanged. It was also demonstrated that attitude certainty only increased when people actually perceived that persuasion had been resisted. This increased certainty was shown to have implications for resistance to subsequent attacks and the correspondence between attitudes and behavioral intentions, These findings suggest that when people perceive their own resistance, they form inferences about their attitudes that adjust for situational factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In search of the point of no return: The control of response processes.

Control processes underlying response inhibition were examined. Six Ss performed a visual choice reaction task and were occasionally presented with a tone that told them to withhold the response. Reaction time results were in agreement with a model that assumes a race between response activation and response inhibition processes. Event-related brain potentials, electromyogram, and continuous response measures showed that responses could be interrupted at any time. Evidence was obtained for two inhibitory mechanisms: inhibition of central activation processes and inhibition of transmission of motor commands from central to peripheral structures. Results have implications for the distinction between controlled and ballistic processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirical tests of the absolute sleeper effect predicted from the discounting cue hypothesis.

Two experiments tested the sleeper effect with respect to persuasion research (i.e., the finding that a persuasive message has a greater delayed than initial impact on Ss' attitudes). These experiments included strong tests of the discounting cue hypothesis because they (a) demonstrably created the conditions that the theory indicated were necessary for the effect to occur, (b) demonstrably minimized the impact of a force known to countervail against the effect, and (c) employed statistical tests that had adequate power to detect the effect should it occur. In Exp I, 161 undergraduates read 1 of 2 persuasive messages accompanied by a discounting cue. All the requirements for a strong test were demonstrably met with 1 message, and an absolute sleeper effect was obtained when attitudes were measured again after 5 wks. In Exp II, 493 undergraduates read a persuasive message and 1 of 5 discounting cues. All the requirements for a strong test were demonstrably met in 3 cue conditions, and absolute sleeper effects were found in each of them after 6 wks. Absolute sleeper effects were not observed in the 2 cue conditions in which the necessary conditions for the effect were not met. It is concluded that absolute sleeper effects can be reliably obtained when all the necessary theoretical conditions are met, a known countervailing force is absent, and the statistical tests have adequate power. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In search of the powerful self-fulfilling prophecy.

This research examined moderators of naturally occurring self-fulfilling prophecies. The authors assessed whether positive or negative self-fulfilling prophecies were more powerful and whether some targets were more susceptible to self-fulfilling prophecies because of their self-concepts in a particular achievement domain and previous academic records. Participants were 98 teachers and 1,539 students in sixth-grade public school math classes. Results yielded a strong pattern showing that teacher perceptions predicted achievement more strongly for low achievers than for high achievers. Results also yielded a much weaker pattern showing that teacher overestimates predicted achievement more strongly than teacher underestimates. Implications for social perceptual accuracy, self-enhancement theory, and understanding when self-fulfilling prophecies are stronger are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of metaphor on processing style in a persuasion task: A motivational resonance model.

Previous research on metaphor and persuasion has suggested that metaphorical language elicits an assimilation effect wherein positive metaphors elicit positive attitudes toward the communication topic and negative metaphors elicit negative evaluations. The authors of this article propose that metaphorical content can increase or decrease motivation to systematically scrutinize a persuasive communication depending on the extent to which it "resonates" with the listener's preferences and interests. Consistent with this model, 2 experiments demonstrate that a sports metaphor increases message-relevant elaboration and sensitivity to argument strength among individuals who enjoy sports. Conversely, the sports metaphor reduces message-relevant elaboration and sensitivity to argument strength among individuals who dislike sports. Findings are discussed in the context of related research that suggests metaphor can serve alternative functions in a persuasive communication task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In search of the benefits of learning Latin.

The authors studied whether Latin or French as a foreign curricular language is a better preparation for learning Spanish. Fifty native German speakers who took a university Spanish course concluded their course with a translation test. English was the 1st foreign language for all students, whereas half of them had learned French and the other half had learned Latin as their 2nd foreign language at school. Participants who had learned French at school made markedly fewer grammar errors and slightly fewer vocabulary errors in the Spanish test than participants who had learned Latin. Knowledge of Latin is probably not an optimal preparation for modern language learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Affective and cognitive meta-bases of attitudes: Unique effects on information interest and persuasion.

The authors investigated the predictive utility of people's subjective assessments of whether their evaluations are affect- or cognition driven (i.e., meta-cognitive bases) as separate from whether people's attitudes are actually affect- or cognition based (i.e., structural bases). Study 1 demonstrated that meta-bases uniquely predict interest in affective versus cognitive information above and beyond structural bases and other related variables (i.e., need for cognition and need for affect). In Study 2, meta-bases were shown to account for unique variance in attitude change as a function of appeal type. Finally, Study 3 showed that as people became more deliberative in their judgments, meta-bases increased in predictive utility, and structural bases decreased in predictive utility. These findings support the existence of meta-bases of attitudes and demonstrate that meta-bases are distinguishable from structural bases in their predictive utility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of involvement on responses to argument quantity and quality: Central and peripheral routes to persuasion.

Tested the view that the number of arguments in a message could affect agreement with a communication by serving as a simple acceptance cue when personal involvement was low but could affect agreement by enhancing issue-relevant thinking when personal involvement was high. In addition to manipulating the personal relevance of the communication topic, both the number and the quality of the arguments in the message were varied. In a pilot study with 46 undergraduates, when the issue was of low relevance, Ss showed more agreement in response to a message containing 6 arguments (3 strong and 3 weak) than to messages containing either 3 strong or 3 weak arguments. Under high involvement, however, the 6-argument message did not increase agreement over the message containing only 3 strong arguments. In the full experiment, 168 undergraduates received either 3 or 9 arguments that were either all cogent or all specious under conditions of either high or low involvement. The manipulation of argument number had a greater impact under low than under high involvement, but the manipulation of argument quality had a greater impact under high than low involvement. Results indicate that increasing the number of arguments in a message could affect persuasion whether or not the actual content of the arguments was scrutinized. (53 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Uncertainty orientation and persuasion: Individual differences in the effects of personal relevance on social judgments.

In two studies we investigated the effects of personal relevance on attitude change as a function of one's uncertainty orientation. We predicted that, unlike uncertainty-oriented persons, high personal relevance would make certainty-oriented persons less careful or systematic in their processing of message arguments and more dependent on heuristics, or persuasion cues, than would low personal relevance. Results from both studies, within and across 2-week time periods, supported predictions. In Study 1, high personal relevance led to higher persuasiveness of two-sided communications and lower persuasiveness of one-sided communications than low personal relevance for uncertainty-oriented persons, but the reverse occurred for certainty-oriented persons. In Study 2, high personal relevance led to higher persuasive impact of strong arguments and lower impact for source expertise than did low personal relevance for uncertainty-oriented persons, but, again, the reverse occurred for certainty-oriented persons. We discuss implications for current theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)