KNOWLEDGE OF THE ADVOCATED POSITION AND THE PROCESSING OF IN-GROUP AND OUT-GROUP PERSUASIVE MESSAGES

This study investigated the processing consequences of receiving non-membership-relevant persuasive messages from in-group or out-group members. Students were given two-sided messages ostensibly from an in-group or out-group source. The position advocated in the message was announced either before or after message arguments were presented, and position-consistent arguments were either strong or weak. In-group messages were more likely to receive content-focused processing (as indicated by longer processing times and differential persuasion to strong and weak arguments) when position advocacy followed rather than preceded message presentation. Prior knowledge of the in-group position produced acceptance of the in-group position regardless of message quality, particularly of the counterattitudinal message. Out-group appeals produced almost no attitude change, even with strong arguments. These results provide further information about the processing mediation of the increased persuasive power of in-groups.