Attribution of cause for opinion change and liking for audience members.

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Abstract
Briefly reviews previous proposals that social reality and effectance are the motives for attempts to influence the opinions of others. H. Sigall showed that Ss' involvement with the construction of persuasive arguments affects which motive is dominant for the S, and hence whether the S is more attracted to audience members who demonstrate opinion change or constant agreement. In the present study with 144 undergraduates, it was hypothesized that attribution of cause for change (or conversion) to the form of the argument mediates the satisfaction of these 2 motives. Only when Ss can attribute conversion to the argument they have constructed, can effectance be satisfied. Only when this attribution cannot be made, can social reality be satisfied. Results support this contention. Form-attribution Ss were most attracted to audience members who satisfied effectance when this motive was aroused. Non-form-attribution Ss were most attracted to audience members who satisfied social reality when this motive was aroused. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

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