Assignment Task: Persuasion and Attitudes
This is a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) assignment. Your teacher will assign you to a group. Please note, you are required to complete this assignment cohesively with your assigned group. Thus, students are not provided the option to complete this assignment individually for credit.
While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
Instructions: Your group will first choose an advertisement to assess from a social psychology perspective. The advertisement can be in any media form (online, radio, streaming, television, print, etc.). It can be a recent ad or one from decades ago. Then, as a group, you will answer the following questions. Assessing your advertisement. The group will need to compile all writing onto one worksheet. Then, one student will need to volunteer to submit the group's finished worksheet to the assignment drop box on behalf of the group. Please identify the contribution each individual student made to this assignment on this document.
Please integrate a minimum of two peer-reviewed articles from the GCU Library to support your writing.
1. In detail, explain the chosen advertisement. Describe where it can be found, what type of media it is presented in, what it is attempting to sell, and to whom. You may include a screen shot or link to the advertisement here, but it is supplementary to your description of the advertisement.(MP)
In the advertisement "FOCUSED", Kamala Harris is trying to persuade the public to vote for her. She does this by making promises to build up the middle class by reducing prices. She directs her message to the middle working class, the largest class in America. This advertisement can be found on television during commercials or on YouTube by searching 2024 political ads.
YouTube Video: Focused | Harris-Walz 2024
2. Compare and contrast implicit and explicit attitudes. In what ways does the advertisement appeal to the viewer's implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes? Offer specific examples in your explanation.(MP)
Implicit and explicit attitudes are both reactions that can be felt simultaneously about a single object which can result in mixed feelings and can further complicate the decision making process. However, implicit attitudes are automatic, meaning no thought is given to them (Heinzen & Good friend, 2022). They are unconscious feelings toward something. Oftentimes we do not even realize that they are even there. Implicit attitudes are emotional or "gut" reactions to things. They are typically measured through an indirect approach such as the Implicit Association Test. Explicit attitudes, on the other hand, are reactions that require much more thought and logic (Heinzen & Good friend, 2022). They result from making conscious evaluations about an object. Researchers measure these reactions more directly by simply asking participants questions via surveys and questionnaires. The advertisement appeals to the viewer's implicit attitudes by mentioning that costs are too high. Kamala talks about cutting housing costs and fighting against price gouging. We automatically recognize that we are paying more for goods and services without giving much thought about the topic. Sometimes it just takes a trip to the grocery store or just receiving a bill to bring the concern back to our attention. The advertisement also attempts to appeal to the viewer's explicit attitudes by comparing Kamala's plan with Trump's plan. It is mentioned in the video how Trump wants to give tax cuts to big corporations. Our reaction to this is the product of logic and reasoning. We have to do our own research on Trump's plan and make conscious evaluations on it in order to feel a particular way about it.
3. Identify examples of subjective norms and cultural factors that relate to the advertisement directly, or the product/service it is trying to sell. How do subjective norms and cultural norms predict human behavior? Do you think the advertisement is successful in utilizing them? Are any direct persuasion techniques utilized? How and why? (ART)
Subjective norms and cultural factors are central to the advertisement's message, as it reflects societal values of resilience, unity, and hard work. Subjective norms, or the expectations of others, suggest that behaviors like perseverance and commitment to family and community are valued. These norms predict behavior by influencing individuals to act in ways that align with societal expectations of strength and dependability. The ad successfully reinforces these cultural ideals, using imagery and storytelling to connect emotionally with the audience, making viewers feel that they, too, should embody these values.
Cultural norms emphasizing shared community values and pride in labor contribute to the ad's appeal, effectively predicting that viewers will feel connected to the product by association. The ad uses direct persuasion techniques like emotional appeal and relatable imagery to tap into these values, aiming to create a sense of pride and loyalty. This approach works by positioning the product as essential to supporting the collective ideals of dedication, trust, and hard work, which makes the ad both persuasive and relatable.
4. Analyze the advertisement under the lens of the elaboration likelihood model. Explain the difference between central and peripheral routes to persuasion. Which of these routes are present in the advertisement? Explain and offer specific examples.
5. Analyze the advertisement under the lens of the heuristic-systematic model. Explain the difference between the heuristic path and system path to persuasion. Which of these routes are present in the advertisement? Explain and offer specific examples. (MP)
According to the heuristic-systematic model, there are two paths to persuasion, one direct and one indirect (Heinzen & Goodfriend, 2022). The direct path, or systematic path, relies heavily on logical reasoning and physical evidence. The indirect path, or the heuristic path, takes a more emotional approach. It attempts to persuade people by appealing to their emotions. According to Zhao (2023), people with more available knowledge for decision making are more influenced by heuristics during the decision-making process. This advertisement takes a more heuristic route to persuasion. It attempts to appeal to the viewer's emotions. The advertisement uses images of Kamala next to mothers and children in attempt to convince the audience that Kamala has their best interest in mind. She also makes promises to build up the middle class and reduce costs, however, we have no evidence that they would even happen. Highly emotional language is also used in the advertisement such as "leader," "build up," and "focused on you."
6. Consider the message-learning approach to persuasion- in what ways are the four elements of persuasion present in the advertisement (source, message, recipient, and context variables). Identify examples of each in the advertisement and how they serve to persuade the viewer.
References:
Heinzen, T., & Goodfriend, W. (2022). Social psychology (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Zhao, W. (2023). The effects of CSR perceptions and agreements: applying the heuristic-systematic information processing model in CSR campaigns. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 32(5), 673-689.