Abstract
This study explored the effects of extraneous fear arousal on susceptibility to a persuasive communication. Under the guise of participating in a psychophysiology experiment, Ss were led to believe that they would receive a series of either strong or weak shocks. Ss were then induced to participate in a “second experiment” while waiting for E to prepare his equipment. The second experiment consisted of reading a persuasive communication and completing several questionnaires. Results for attitude change for males showed a Fear by Birth Order interaction. Results for females showed only a main effect of fear arousal, with more persuasion occurring in the low-fear than in the high-fear conditions.
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Hendrick, C., Borden, R. Effects of extraneous fear arousal and birth order on attitude change. Psychon Sci 18, 225–226 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335749
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03335749