Self-guide framing and persuasion: responsibly increasing message processing to ideal levels.
The current research examines the effect that framing persuasive messages in terms of self-guides (ideal vs. ought) has on the attitudes and cognitive responses of individuals with chronic ideal versus ought self-guides. The strength of participants' ideal and ought self-guides and the magnitude of participants' ideal and ought self-discrepancies were measured using a computerized reaction time program. One week later, participants read a persuasive message about a fictional breakfast product, framed in terms of either ideals or oughts. Matching framing to stronger self-guide led to enhanced message processing activity, especially among individuals who were low in need for cognition. Individuals who read messages framed to match their stronger self-guides paid more attention to argument quality, as reflected in their attitudes and cognitive responses. Messages with self-guide framing that matched individuals' stronger self-discrepancies did not have this effect on processing.
Evans
Lisa M
LM
Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1885 Neil Avenue Mall, Columbus, OH 43210-1222, USA. levansconsulting@yahoo.com
Petty
Richard E
RE
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009820:Ohio; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D012927:Social Control, Informal