The Mary Junck Research Colloquium Series Fall 2008
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School of Journalism and Mass Communication University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dr. Richard Petty
Professor Department of Psychology Ohio State University
Oct. 9	Self-Validation: The role of thought confidence in persuasion
	Prior research on persuasion has focused on several ways that variables such as a person’s emotional state could affect whether or not they were influenced. For example, one’s emotions could serve as a simple cue to judgment or could affect the amount or valence of the thoughts generated. The self-validation hypothesis holds that these same variables can sometimes affect the confidence with which people hold their thoughts. If a variable increases thought confidence, it will increase reliance on one’s momentary thoughts but if it increases doubt it will decrease reliance on thoughts. This means that increasing confidence will increase persuasion when thoughts are largely positive but that increasing doubt can increase persuasion when thoughts are largely negative. This paper examines numerous factors that affect thought confidence including individual differences and situational variables such as momentary power and emotional states.
If you would like additional details or information about the colloquium series or have any suggestions, please contact Sriram "Sri" Kalyanaraman E-mail: sri@unc.edu Phone: 919-843-5858