Self-Schema Matching and Attitude Change: Situational and Dispositional Determinants of Message Elaboration
S. Christian Wheeler, Richard E. Petty, George Y. Bizer
Journal of Consumer Research · 2005 · Volume 31 · Issue 4
Abstract
Research indicates that messages or products matching individuals' self-schemata are viewed more favorably, but little is known about how or when such effects occur. Experiment 1 indicates that messages matched to participants' level of extroversion lead to larger argument quality effects on attitudes than do mismatched messages. In experiment 2, these effects are replicated with the self-schema of need for cognition. Across studies, matching messages to recipients' self-schemata leads to increased or decreased persuasion, depending on the advertisement's argument quality. The interaction of self-schema matching with argument quality along with participants' pattern of cognitive responses suggests an elaboration-based account.
Keywords
Advertising, Attitudes, Personality, Persuasion, Self-concept
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