Social Psychology

Superficial Processing: Persuasion Shortcuts

Even when you are processing superficially, some information is getting through. Simple pieces of information are associated with, and activate, positive and negative evaluations, and can act as persuasion heuristics.

Attitudes by association

Adding positive associations to an attitude object can boost its evaluation (evaluative conditioning).

Moods as heuristic cues: If I feel good, I must like it

Your actual feeling tells you if you like the attitude object.

Case study: Heuristics: When it feels good, I must like it. Positive affect in advertisements

The familiarity heuristic: Familiarity makes the heart grow fonder

The more often you have contact with an attitude object, the more positive your evaluation will be (the mere exposure effect). Familiar stimuli can be more persuasive, irrespective of whether they are true or not.

Related website: More information about mere exposure theory

The attractiveness heuristic: Agreeing with those we like

We agree with people we like.

The expertise heuristic: Agreeing with those who know

An expert has the knowledge and can be trusted. A message that is delivered rapidly is also more credible. Trustworthiness is an important characteristic for a credible communicator.

The message-length heuristic: Length equals strength

The longer the message, the more valid it appears to be.

Systematic Processing of Persuasive Communications

Processing message content

There are four steps involved in systematic processing:

• Attending to the message: Make sure attention is drawn to the message.
• Comprehending the message: Keep the message simple.
• Reacting to message content: This is through the process of elaboration.
• Accepting the advocated position: People have to accept the intended message.

Research activity: Systematic processing

Superficial and Systematic Processing: Which Strategy, When?

How motivation influences superficial and systematic processing

• Mastery motivation: When being accurate is very important, you will be more motivated to process systematically.
• Connectedness and me and mine motivation: When something is personally relevant, you will be more motivated to process systematically.

How capacity influences superficial and systematic processing

• The ability to process: Sometimes you lack the cognitive capacity to process systematically.
• The opportunity to concentrate: Distraction prevents systematic processing.

The impact of capacity on heeding health-related messages

Drugs and alcohol reduce the capacity to process systematically. Therefore, people are more sensitive to superficial cues.

How personality differences influence superficial and systematic processing

• Need for cognition: People with a high need for cognition are more eager to process information systematically.
• Self-monitoring: High self-monitors zero in on image-focused messages; low self-monitors are more attuned to value-expressive appeals.
• Promotion/prevention focus: Promotion focused people are more persuaded by gain-oriented appeals, whereas prevention focused people find messages that talk about avoiding losses more compelling.

How moods and emotions influence superficial and systematic processing

There are mixed results of emotions on the way people process. Sometimes emotions increase persuasion, but sometimes they make persuasion less likely.

Positive emotions:

• When the situation is good, superficial processing may take place.
• If positive emotions are a result of the task, this can encourage systematic processing.
• If you think information will keep you in a good mood, again this can encourage systematic processing.
• Positive events may lead to less capacity, hence resulting in superficial processing.

Negative emotions:

• The level of fear influences motivation and the capacity for processing.
• If no fear is aroused, no attention is paid to a message.
• The right amount of fear leads to the motivation to process systematically.
• Extreme fear can lead to a message being avoided or ignored (self-protection).

Anxiety can lead to less cognitive space being available, resulting in superficial processing.

Feelings of guilt make us more susceptible to persuasion.