The mere perception of elaboration creates attitude certainty: exploring the thoughtfulness heuristic

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Jamie Barden, Richard E Petty

Abstract

Attitude theory has long proposed a mechanism through which antecedents of message elaboration produce attitude strength consequences. However, little direct evidence exists for the intervening process. The proposed thoughtfulness heuristic holds that perceiving that more thought has taken place leads to greater attitude certainty. Two roles were established for this heuristic: first as a mediator of the impact of antecedents of elaboration on attitude certainty and second as a way to influence attitude certainty independent of actual elaboration. In Studies 1 and 2, antecedents of elaboration (need for cognition, distraction) impacted attitude certainty because they impacted the actual amount of processing, which in turn affected perceptions of the amount of processing. In Studies 3 and 4, a manipulation of perceived thought impacted certainty independent of actual thought (i.e., after thinking had already occurred). Furthermore, the thoughtfulness heuristic was shown to influence behavioral intentions, establishing perceived amount of processing as both a mediator and an independent cause of attitude strength consequences.

Citations

Jun 6, 2009·Psychological Science·Jason K ClarkRichard E Petty
Dec 23, 2016·Social Neuroscience·John T CacioppoRichard E Petty
Jun 27, 2013·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Omair AkhtarZakary L Tormala
Jun 29, 2017·American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP·Spencer GreenbergKirsten DeConti
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Feb 11, 2011·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Zakary L TormalaMarlone D Henderson
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Mar 10, 2020·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Mengran XuRichard E Petty
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Sep 15, 2017·Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin·Lauren B Cheatham, Zakary L Tormala
May 2, 2020·Nature Human Behaviour·Jay J Van BavelRobb Willer
Nov 24, 2021·Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis·Elisabeth BigsbySam R Wilson

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