Involvement and persuasion: Evidence for different types of involvement

Tested the hypothesis that outcome-relevant involvement (ORI) and value-relevant involvement (VRI) have different effects on persuasion. The extent that 303 undergraduates experienced VRI instead of ORI was manipulated with respect to the implementation of comprehensive exams (CEs). Ss read either weak or strong arguments in favor of the implementation of CEs. Ss were placed in a low or high involvement condition by telling them either that the CEs may be implemented next year (high involvement) or that the CEs may be implemented in 5 yrs (low involvement). Ss then indicated their attitude toward the CEs. When analyses were limited to those Ss who considered outcomes or values to be important (88% of the sample), the 3-way interaction between type of involvement, level of involvement, and argument strength was significant. This interaction supports the importance of distinguishing between ORI and VRI.

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