| Abstract: | Reviewed studies dealing with the effects on audience opinions of (1) advance information about the topics and the direction of argument of forthcoming communications (warning), and (2) instructions that describe the experiment as a study of opinion change (persuasion context). Conclusions include: (1) warning and persuasion context are not separate manipulations; (2) their effects on postcommunication opinion change are not clear; and (3) warning and persuasion context probably cause precommunication opinion change. It is suggested that neither warning nor persuasion context, by themselves, are crucial variables in postcommunication opinion change. In some instances persuasion may begin prior to actual exposure to persuasive communications. (32 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
