Soc 319: Sociological Approaches to Social Psychology

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Soc 319 Sociological Approaches to Social
Psychology

• Persuasion (contd)
• Self-Presentation and Impression Management
• March 10, 2009

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3. Elaboration likelihood model (ELM)

• Two routes to attitude change Elaboration is
  extent to which a person carefully thinks about
  issue-relevant arguments contained in a
  persuasive communication.
• Central route attitude change results from
  careful consideration of information that
  reflects what the target feels are the true
  merits of a particular attitudinal position.
  Multiple messages are important.
• Peripheral route target associates the attitude
  object with positive or negative cues, and makes
  a simple inference about the merits of the
  advocated position based on simple cues, rather
  than content.

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3a. Why would communicators prefer to use the
central route?

• More persistent change. When attitude change is
  based on an extensive foundation of
  issue-relevant beliefs, and these beliefs are
  rehearsed, then the attitude change is likely to
  persist because the issue-relevant beliefs are
  likely to remain salient.
• Better predict behavior. These attitudes may be
  more salient in memory, because we used more
  effort in acquiring them. Moreover, people may be
  more confident in those opinions based on large
  amounts of information and the elaboration (or
  extensive thought and scrutiny).

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3b. Why would communicators use the peripheral
route?

• Efficiency! Most Americans are presented with an
  estimated 10-25 commercials per one hour of
  television or radio time. Focus on emotion not
  thought/deliberation (classical conditioning).
• Repetition. It is easier to repeat very short,
  emotion-rousing messages than longer ones that
  require a high degree of thought and scrutiny.
  (e.g., just say no, this is your brain on
  drugs)

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C. Target Which Traits Moderate Message
Effectiveness?

• Explaining why people are so effective at
  resisting efforts to change their strong
  attitudes remains one of the core issues of
  attitude theory (Eagly Chaiken, 1973)
• Individual level-characteristics
• Intelligence/ need for cognition depends on
  complexity of message.
• Self-esteem dont trust own opinion.
• Self-monitoring respond more to attractiveness.
• Attitude importance (Zuwernik Devine, 1996)
• Psychological reactance
• Current mood positive mood enhances reception.
• Inoculation (McGuire, 1963)

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C1. Inoculation Theory (McGuire 1964)

• Attitudes based on little information are hard to
  defend against threats. Cultural truisms are
  held so universally that they are rarely subject
  to attack.
• Targets can be immunized against persuasion
  via
• Refutational defense. Target receives information
  discrepant with truism, and arguments that refute
  discrepant info (i.e., support truism).
• Supportive defense. Target receives elaborate
  information in defense of truism.
• Phenomenon was first recognized by McGuire in the
  1950s. In the Korean war, how did the
  brainwashing of American prisoners of war by
  Chinese Communists occur? POWs had given
  speeches denouncing the U.S. government.
• McGuire thought soldiers were susceptible to
  attitudinal attack because they were being
  attacked on matters that they were never forced
  to think about. (e.g., why is democracy better
  than communism?)

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D. Outcomes

• Selective exposure. Targets attend to messages
  that are relevant, that they can integrate into
  an existing schema, or that they already agree
  with.
• Attitude change.
• Reject message.
• Suspend judgment.
• Derogate source (P-O-X balance is sought)

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I. Presentation of self

• Our efforts to manipulate others perceptions of
  us.
• All our attempts, both conscious and
  unconscious, to control the images we project in
  a social interaction. (Goffman, 1959)
• We try to control the impression we convey and we
  hope to structure our social interactions so that
  we obtain a desired outcome.

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Goffmans Theatrical Metaphor

• The social world is a stage that comprises
• Front expressive equipment we use in presenting
  self to others
• Setting physical space
• Appearance physical identifiers
• Manner emotional/dispositional show
• Regions
• Front stage Region where people present selves
  in a tactical manner.
• Back stage Private regions where real life
  happens.

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II. Specific Impression Management Tactics

• Specific strategies for reaching impression
  management goals.
• Ingratiation
• Conformity of opinions
• Other enhancement
• Selective self-presentation
• Self-enhancement
• Self-deprecation
• Less frequently used tactics include
• Exemplification.
• Intimidation
• Supplication.

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III. When Interactions Fall Apart

• A. Embarrassment
• Sources of embarrassment
• Violation of privacy
• Identity claim not fulfilled
• Efforts to avoid embarrassment
• Tact

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Ashlee Simpson on SNL Why so embarrassing?
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vjaK-Z6dLrQMfeature
related
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Larry Craig scandal Why so embarrassing?
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Why should Elliott Spitzer (Gov., NY) be
embarrassed?
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III. When Interactions Fall Apart

• B. Aligning Actions
• Disclaimers
• Role-distancing

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III. When Interactions Fall Apart

• 3. Account-making A statement made by actor to
  explain unanticipated or untoward behavior (Scott
  Lyman, 1968).
• Neutralization techniques of account-making
  frequently used to account for deviant acts
  (Sykes Matza)
• Example of account-making (Kalab 1987) Students
  explanations for missing classes
• Excuses Actor recognizes wrong, deflects
  responsibility.
• Justifications Actor takes responsibility,
  denies wrong.
• Concessions Admit failure and apologize.
• Refusals Deny that act occurred.

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IV. Do all people impression manage? The role of
self-monitoring

• A. Self-monitoring (Snyder)
• High highly concerned with situational
  appropriateness of behavior
• 2. Low less concern for situational
  appropriateness of behavior
• B. Variants
• 1. Getting ahead
• 2. Getting along

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Self-monitoring scale items (Snyder)

• My behavior is usually an expression of my true
  inner feelings, attitudes, and beliefs.
• At parties and social gatherings, I do not
  attempt to do or say things that others will
  like.
• I can only argue for ideas which I already
  believe.
• When I am uncertain how to act in a social
  situation, I look to the behavior of others for
  cues.
• I sometimes appear to others to be experiencing
  deeper emotions than I actually am.
• In different situations and with different
  people, I often act like very different persons.
• I am not particularly good at making other people
  like me.
• I would not change my opinions (or the way I do
  things) in order to please someone else or win
  their favor.
• In order to get along and be liked, I tend to be
  what people expect me to be rather than anything
  else.
• I have trouble changing my behavior to suit
  different people and different situations.
• I may deceive people by being friendly when I
  really dislike them.