The present study was designed to investigate the mechanism mediating the persuasion-inhibiting effect of a forewarning in a fear-arousing communication. 93 college students were either warned or not warned of the communicator's persuasive and fear-arousing intents. Results showed that the forewarning produced resistance to persuasion and that resistance was mediated directly by counterarguments during the presentation of the communication, and indirectly by psychological reactance in the postwarning, precommunication interval.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
FreedmanJ. L.SearsD. O.Warning, distraction and resistance to influence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1965, 1, 262–266.
2.
FukadaH. [Forewarning effects in fear-arousing communications.] Japanese Journal of Psychology, 1983, 54, 286–292. (Japanese, English summary).
3.
HassR. G.GradyK.Temporal delay, type of forewarning, and resistance to influence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1975, 11, 459–469.
4.
PettyR. E.CacioppoJ. T.Forewarning, cognitive responding, and resistance to persuasion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1977, 35, 645–655.
5.
PettyR. E.CacioppoJ. T.Effects of forewarning of persuasive intent and involvement on cognitive responses and persuasion. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1979, 5, 173–176.
6.
UenoT. [The effects of forewarning on resistance to persuasion.] Japanese Journal of Psychology, 1981, 52, 173–177. (Japanese, English summary).
7.
WattsW. A.HoltL. E.Persistence of opinion change induced under conditions of forewarning and distraction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1979, 37, 778–789.
