Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1614

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Petty RE, Brinol P, Tormala ZL.
Thought confidence as a determinant of persuasion: the self-validation hypothesis.
J Pers Soc Psychol 2002 May; 82:(5):722-41
http://content.apa.org/journals/psp/82/5/722

Abstract:

Previous research in the domain of attitude change has described 2 primary dimensions of thinking that impact persuasion processes and outcomes: the extent (amount) of thinking and the direction (valence) of issue-relevant thought. The authors examined the possibility that another, more meta-cognitive aspect of thinking is also important-the degree of confidence people have in their own thoughts. Four studies test the notion that thought confidence affects the extent of persuasion. When positive thoughts dominate in response to a message, increasing confidence in those thoughts increases persuasion, but when negative thoughts dominate, increasing confidence decreases persuasion. In addition, using self-reported and manipulated thought confidence in separate studies, the authors provide evidence that the magnitude of the attitude-thought relationship depends on the confidence people have in their thoughts. Finally, the authors also show that these self-validation effects are most likely in situations that foster high amounts of information processing activity.

Keywords:
Adolescent Adult Awareness Female Humans Internal-External Control* Male Persuasive Communication* Problem Solving Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Self Concept* Students/psychology Thinking*