SALIENCE OF LOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG BELIEFS AS A FACTOR IN PERSUASION

Tested the predictions that increasing the salience of the logical relationships among beliefs makes any specific belief in the system more resistant to persuasion, but facilitates change on those beliefs logically related, but unmentioned, in the persuasive message relative to change in the belief attacked. 53 undergraduates served as Ss. 2 manipulations, form of pretest and cognitive tuning, were designed to vary the degree of salience and integration of beliefs. The results were complex. Form of pretest affected the belief attacked in the manner predicted with Ss in the high-integration condition changed more on both the specific target of the message (contrary to prediction) and the unmentioned, but logically related, beliefs. Findings are discussed in terms of an organizing principle of consistency and its implication for the indirect effects of persuasion. (27 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.