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Two Routes to the Boomerang Effect: Proattitudinal versus Counterattitudinal Messages

Fri, May 25, 14:00 to 15:15, Hilton Old Town, Floor: M, Liszt

Abstract

This study aims to differentiate two types of boomerang effects on belief and attitude change: a boomerang effect under a proattitudinal message and a boomerang effect under a counterattitudinal message. We employed a 2 (Message valence: anti-policy vs. pro-policy) × 2 (Issues: legal age for drinking vs. legal age of marriage) × 2 (Threat to freedom: low threat vs. high threat) × 2 (Argument quality: low quality vs. high quality) plus 2 (Control groups: no-message control for the two issues) cross-sectional experimental design (N = 458). Based on structural equation models, we found that counterarguing (vs. anger) mediated the relationship between argument quality and belief position boomerang under a counterattitudinal message, whereas anger (vs. negative cognitions) mediated the relationship between trait reactance and belief boomerang under a proattitudinal message. Furthermore, we refined negative cognitions by modeling counterarguments and nonrefutational thoughts as two distinct constructs. Poor argument quality caused counterarguments, whereas perceived threat and trait reactance caused nonrefutational thoughts. Future research should explore the persuasive appeals for mitigating the cognitive or affective process resulting in a boomerang effect.

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