When expertise backfires: contrast and assimilation effects in persuasion.

Full Abstract

It was proposed that source cues bias message processing in a direction opposite to cue valence if message content violates cue-based expectancies (contrast hypothesis), but consistent with cue valence if message content is ambiguous (bias hypothesis). In line with these hypotheses, students (N = 123) reported less favourable thoughts and attitudes after reading weak arguments presented by a high (vs. low) expertise source (Expts 1 and 2), and reported more favourable thoughts after reading strong arguments presented by a low (vs. high) expertise source (Expt 2). Conversely, students' thoughts and attitudes were more (less) favourable when a high (low) expertise source presented ambiguous arguments (Expt 2). Results are discussed in relation to dual- vs. single-process accounts of persuasion and models of assimilation and contrast in social judgment.

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Author information

Author/s: Bohner, Gerd (G); Ruder, Markus (M); Erb, Hans-Peter (HP);

Affiliation: Universität Bielefeld, Germany. Gerd.Bohner@uni-bielefeld.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The British journal of social psychology / the British Psychological Society (Br J Soc Psychol), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Dec; vol 41 (issue Pt 4) : pp 495-519

Dates: Created 2003/02/20; Completed 2003/04/09; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12593750, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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