Of 9 studies involving self-esteem and persuasibility following exposure to a mass communication, none made proper use of control data. This failure leaves unresolved the validity of interpretations which are reasonably alternative to that which supports the research hypothesis. Four of the studies are discussed in detail in order to exemplify the range of interpretations which may be considered alternative to those which, according to the authors, support their research hypotheses. The need for control data in this research area is discussed in the more general context of the purpose of control data.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BakanD.The test of significance in psychological research. Psychological Bulletin. 1966, 66, 423–437.
2.
CohenA. R.Some implications of self-esteem for social influence. In HovlandC. I.JanisI. L. (Eds.), Personality and persuasibility. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1959. Pp. 102–120.
3.
CoxD. F.BauerR. A.Self-confidence and persuasibility in women. Public Opinion Quarterly, 1964, 28, 453–466.
4.
DabbsJ. M.Jr.Self-esteem, communicator characteristics, and attitude change. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964, 69, 173–181.
5.
DabbsJ. M.Jr.LeventhalH.Effects of varying the recommendations in a fear-arousing communication. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1966, 4, 525–531.
6.
FisherR. A.The design of experiments. (4th ed.) New York: Hafner, 1947.
7.
GollobH. F.DittesJ. E.Effects of manipulated self-esteem on persuasibility depending on threat and complexity of communication. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1965, 2, 195–201.
8.
HovlandC. I.JanisI. L.KelleyH. H.Communication and persuasion. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1953.
9.
HusekT. R.Acquiescence as a response set and as a personality characteristic. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1961, 21, 295–307.
10.
JanisI. L.Personality correlates of susceptibility to persuasion. Journal of Personality, 1954, 22, 504–518.
11.
JanisI. L.Anxiety indices related to susceptibility to persuasion. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1955, 51, 663–667.
12.
JanisI. L.FieldP. B.A behavioral assessment of persuasibility: Consistency of individual differences. Sociometry, 1956, 19, 241–259.
13.
JanisI. L.FieldP. B.Sex differences and personality factors related to persuasibility. In HovlandC. I.JanisI. L. (Eds.), Personality and persuasibility. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1959. Pp. 55–68.
14.
JanisI. L.KingB. T.The influence of role playing on opinion change. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1954, 49, 211–218.
15.
JanisI. L.MannL.Effectiveness of emotional role-playing in modifying smoking habits and attitudes. Journal of Experimental Research in Personality, 1965, 1, 84–90.
16.
KleinE. B.Stylistic components of response as related to attitude change. Journal of Personality, 1963, 31, 38–51.
17.
LeventhalH.PerloeS. I.A relationship between self-esteem and persuasibility. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1962, 64, 385–388.
18.
LeventhalH.TremblyG.Negative emotions and persuasionJournal of Personality, 1968, 36, 154–168.
19.
LevonianE.Self-esteem and opinion change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1968, 9, 257–259.
20.
LordF. M.Elementary models for measuring change. In HarrisC. W. (Ed.), Problems in measuring change. Madison: Univer. of Wisconsin Press, 1963. Pp. 21–38.
21.
McGeeR. K.Response style as a personality variable: By what criterion?Psychological Bulletin, 1962, 59, 284–295.
22.
McGuireW. J.Attitudes and opinions. In FarnsworthP. R.McNemarOlgaMcNemarQ. (Eds.), Annual review of psychology. Vol. 17. Palo Alto, Calif.: Annual Reviews, 1966. Pp. 475–514.
23.
McGuireW. J.Personality and susceptibility to social influence. In BorgattaE. F.LambertW. W. (Eds.), Handbook of personality theory and research. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1968. Pp. 1130–1187.
24.
NisbettR. E.GordonA.Self-esteem and susceptibility to social influence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1967, 5, 268–276.
25.
SearsD. O.Social anxiety, opinion structure, and opinion change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1967, 7, 142–151.
26.
SilvermanI.Differential effects of ego threat upon persuasibility for high and low self-esteem subjects. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964, 69, 567–572.
27.
SilvermanI.FordL. H.Jr.MorgantiJ. B.Inter-related effects of social desirability, sex, self-esteem, and complexity of argument on persuasibility. Journal of Personality, 1966, 34, 555–568.
