Persuasion in Social Psychology: How Messages Change Attitudes

Persuasion changes attitudes by influencing how people think and feel about a person, issue, or action. A message may work because its arguments are convincing, because its source seems credible, or because of the situation in which it is received.

What does social psychology study?

Social psychology studies how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior are influenced by other people and social situations. Persuasion is one part of that field: it focuses on how communication can shape an evaluation, or attitude.

An attitude can have cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components. For example, a student might believe public transit reduces traffic, feel good about using it, and choose to take the bus. Those components can align, but they do not always do so.

What does social psychology focus on?

The elaboration likelihood model explains two routes through which persuasive messages can influence attitudes. Which route matters more depends on how motivated and able a person is to think about the message.

• Central route: The person considers the substance of the arguments. A student choosing a bus pass might compare schedules, reliability, and evidence about travel time.
• Peripheral route: The person relies more on cues outside the merits of the arguments, such as an appealing spokesperson or an apparent sign of expertise.

These are not rigid categories for people or messages. Someone may think carefully about one decision and rely on cues for another. Attitudes formed through careful thought tend to be more durable and predictive of behavior, but careful thought can also produce disagreement if the arguments are weak.

What is attitude inoculation in social psychology?

Attitude inoculation is a way to build resistance to persuasion by exposing someone to a manageable challenge to a belief and helping them develop a response. The comparison to vaccination is a metaphor: the goal is to prepare people for a later persuasive challenge.

For example, a student learning to evaluate misleading health claims might encounter a weak version of a claim and practice checking its evidence. Later, the student may be better prepared to question a similar claim rather than accept it automatically.

Inoculation is not a way to make a belief immune to criticism. Its value depends on the challenge and the quality of the response; people should still be willing to revise a belief when stronger evidence warrants it.

Why does social psychology matter?

Understanding persuasion helps explain why a message can change what someone says without changing what they do. A person may support taking public transit but still drive because the bus schedule does not fit their work hours. A favorable attitude is only one influence on the choice.

The theory of planned behavior adds two important considerations: perceived social norms and perceived behavioral control. People are more likely to form an intention when they favor an action, think important others support it, and believe they can carry it out. Even then, intentions can be disrupted by practical barriers.

Online, repeated messages and social feedback can also shape what people notice and regard as normal. For a closer look, read how social media shapes attitudes and bias. The influence of norms is also discussed in this guide to social groups.

How do you study social psychology?

Practice applying each concept to a specific message. Identify the attitude the message targets, the argument it makes, and any cues that might influence its audience. Then ask whether the audience has the motivation and opportunity to examine the evidence.

To check your understanding, explain why a person might resist the message and why accepting it might not change their behavior. Distinguish an observation, such as clicking an ad, from an attitude inferred from that action.

For a structured way to study these topics, the table summarizes UPI Study’s Advanced Social Psychology course.

Which colleges list Advanced Social Psychology on an equivalency chart?

These colleges show Advanced Social Psychology (Psychology 310) on their equivalency charts with UPI Study. Open a college for its full chart.

See the rest of the equivalency on the Advanced Social Psychology course page, or open a college above for its full chart. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.

Frequently Asked Questions about Social Psychology

Final Thoughts on Social Psychology

The next time you encounter a persuasive message, separate its evidence from its presentation. Ask what would change your mind and what might prevent a changed attitude from becoming an action.