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Opportunity to Counterargue and Voluntary Exposure to Counterattitudinal Message.
Richard S. Wellins, Elliot McGinnies
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Abstract
The opportunity to counterargue in response to a counterattitudinal message may prompt an individual's voluntary exposure to that communication increase his resistance to persuasion. It was predicted that those subjects who were encouraged to counterargue would listen to a counterattitudinal message for a longer period of time and show less attitude change. The literature on resistance to persuasion, reactance and cognitive balance are discussed as a basis for the above predictions. Results show a significant tendency for the 'counterarguing group' to listen to the persuasive message for a longer period of time and show less attitude change than the control group which had no opportunity to counterargue.