How emotional media reports influence attitude formation and change

Abstract

This study examined the influence of an emotionally arousing writing style – as it is common in tabloid formats – on attitude formation and attitude change. It was proposed that different writing styles induce attitudes based on either affect or cognition as well as attitudes with either high or low certainty. Further, it was proposed that the interplay of these attitude characteristics determines the persuasiveness of emotionally and rationally framed persuasion. To test the hypotheses, participants in an experimental study read articles form a magazine about a fictitious attitude object. In the first step, four different types of attitudes varying in attitude basis and attitude certainty were induced through a respectively manipulated article. In the second step, this attitude was affected by a further article, which presented either an emotionally or rationally framed persuasive appeal. The hypotheses on attitude induction through media stimuli as well as three of four hypotheses regarding the persuasiveness of emotionally and rationally framed articles were supported.