Date of Award

2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Program

Psychology

Supervisor

Bertram Gawronski

Second Advisor

Dr. Ross Norman

Third Advisor

Dr. Jim Olson

Abstract

The present research examined the persuasive effects of source likeability on implicit and explicit evaluations. Addressing a frequent confound in persuasion research, I argue that these effects can be understood only if one distinguishes between elaboration during encoding versus judgment. I predicted that source likeability would influence implicit evaluations irrespective of elaboration during encoding or judgment. Further, I predicted that elaboration during judgment would determine whether the influence of source likeability on implicit evaluations translated into corresponding explicit evaluations, such that implicit and explicit evaluations would show consistent effects of source likeability under conditions of low, but not high, elaboration during judgment. The predictions were partially supported. Source likeability influenced implicit evaluations regardless of elaboration. However, source likeability did not influence explicit evaluations nor did elaboration during judgment moderate the influence of source likeability on explicit evaluations. Theoretical implications of these findings and limitations of the current study are discussed.

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