Persuasion Theories - Social Judgement Theory

Persuasion Theories - Social Judgement Theory

Persuasion is a complex phenomenon involving an interplay of different factors and is
influenced by diverse communication modes and contexts. There are several theories,
advocated by communication experts, based on extensive research and experience
which attempt to provide insights into the whole process of persuasion. Presented
below is an overview of some of the principal theories of persuasion.
This theory of persuasion holds that to persuade
someone best, one must understand well his or her present views on the subject. There
are five principles of social judgment theory:
• People have categories of judgment by which they evaluate persuasive positions.
• When people receive persuasive information, they locate it within their categories
of judgment.
• The level of ego involvement affects the size of latitudes. (The latitude of
acceptance is the range of opinions with which people agree. The latitude of
rejection is the range of opinions with which people disagree. The latitude of
non-committal is measured by the questions for which people have no opinion.)
For example, ego involvement increases the latitude of rejection. When closely
involved with an issue, people recognize a broader range of opinions on the
issue with which they disagree.
• People tend to distort incoming information to fit their categories of judgment.
• Small to moderate discrepancies between anchor positions and the one
advocated will cause people to change; large discrepancies will not. People
typically cannot be moved far from their anchor position or far outside their
areas of acceptance or rejection. Ambiguous messages thus work best.
According to this theory, influence is most likely to occur under certain conditions.
Communicators must work within the latitude of acceptance or at least the latitude of
non-commitment for success. People will neither process nor respond in a negative
way to information that occurs within their latitude of rejection. Therefore, direct attacks
are doomed to failure according to this theory.