Attitudes and Persuasion

Explore how attitudes develop and change, and to apply the concept of persuasion and how it influences decision making and behavior.

Part I: Attitudes
If we are going to try to persuade someone, we are working to inform and change their attitude.

Consider the concept of “attitudes” and answer the following, using scholarly and/or credible sources:

● What is an attitude and how do they develop?
● How are attitudes shaped by nature (genetics) and nurture (experience)?
● If you have a strong attitude toward something, how might that reflect in your behavior? (For example, I like Coca-Cola and I tend to only request Coke products. I might make fun of people who drink Pepsi.)
● How do you feel/what do you think when someone challenges your attitude about something/someone? In other words, what factor(s) makes you more likely to consider the other perspective(s) and/or alternative(s)?

Part II: Persuasion
For this section, you will explore the different aspects of persuasion and critique an advertisement or website relative to its persuasiveness.

Take a look at the following website: Joe Chemo: A Camel Who Wishes He' Never Smoked

Considering the research in social psychology about persuasion, answer the following questions, using the different concepts and vocabulary presented in this module.

1. What feature of the website do you believe is the most persuasive? Why?
2. Identify three things that the creators of the website included that illustrate elements of persuasion. Explain.
3. What are two ways that the website can be more persuasive, using concepts from the chapter?
4. How do people resist persuasion? Explain how forewarning and inoculation play a role in resisting persuasion and give an example of each.
5. Find examples of 3 of the following persuasive techniques in commercials. Describe each of the 3 techniques you chose and how it is used in the commercial. Be sure to include a link to the commercial in your response.
   ● Low-ball
   ● Foot-in-the-door
   ● Bait-and-switch
   ● Fear
   ● Scarcity
   ● Creating positive feelings
   ● Door-in-the-face