An Empirical Test of a Model of Resistance to Persuasion

Abstract

This investigation synthesized research from several related areas to produce a model of resistance to persuasion based upon variables not considered by earlier congruity and inoculation models. Support was found for the prediction that the kind of critical response set induced and the target of the criticism are mediators of resistance to persuasion. The more critical acts are focused on arguments presented in a persuasive message, the more likely that the critical act will not be distracting and therefore promote counterarguing which will lead people to be resistant to subsequent persuasive messages arguing on the same side of given attitudinal issue. When criticism is less central to message variables and focuses on speaker and/or delivery characteristics, distraction occurs which decreases the probability of counterarguing and induces people to be vulnerable to forthcoming persuasive messages. This is especially true when negative criticism of speaker characteristics reduces threat to present attitudes and reduces motivation to counterargue to protect privately held beliefs. A completely counterbalanced design employing several manipulation checks was created to rule out competing explanations for differential resistance to persuasion.Research on resistance to persuasion has in some large part centered on various tests of McGuire's (1964) inoculation model. That model is based on a biological analogy that suggests that just as a person is immunized by pre-exposure to weakened forms of a disease, so can a persuader immunize people against future persuasive appeals by exposing them to weakened forms of arguments that are counter to their private beliefs and attitudes. The inoculation model requires pretreatment messages that will ~~~ ~~ MichaelBurgoon (Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1970) is an associate professor of communication at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824. Marshall Cohen (M.A., University of Florida, 1974) is a doctoral student in the speech department at

Inoculating Against Pro-Plagiarism Justifications: Rational and Affective Strategies

“…Receivers' prior attitudinal position toward the topic functioned as a covariate. Consistent with prior inoculation research, initial attitudinal position toward the topic was assessed using bipolar adjective pairs (Burgoon, Cohen, Miller, & Montgomery, 1978). The reliability coefficient for initial attitude toward plagiarism was .94.…”

“…We used the attitude scale developed by Burgoon et al (1978) during Phases 2 and 3. Alpha reliabilities of the attitude scale were .94 at Phase 2 and .95 at Phase 3.…”

Inoculation in Political Campaign Communication

“…Although much of the early research on inoculation theory focused on what McGuire termed, "cultural truisms," germ-free beliefs uncontaminated by counterarguments, a number of more recent studies have applied the basic tenents of the theory to more controversial topics (Burgoon, et al, 1976;Burgoon & Chase, 1973;Burgoon, Cohen, Miller & Montgomery, 197B;Burgoon & King, 1974;Freedman & Steinbruner, 1964;Infante, 1975;McCroskey, 1970;McCroskey, Young & Scott, 1972;Ullman & Bodaken, 1975 …”

A Comparison of Embedded and Nonembedded Print Coverage of the U.S. Invasion and Occupation of Iraq

“…The investigation featured four dependent variables. Overall tone of coverage toward the military was assessed using a global attitude measure adapted from Burgoon et al (1978). It consisted of six 7-interval semantic differential scales: good/bad, positive/negative, wise/foolish, valuable/worthless, favorable/unfavorable, and acceptable/unacceptable.…”