Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Routes of Persuasion

Routes of Persuasion

Persuasion is the process of changing our attitude toward something based on some kind of communication. Much of the persuasion we experience comes from outside forces. How do people convince others to change their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors? What communications do you receive that attempt to persuade you to change your attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors?

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...

Strategies of Self-Presentation II: Self-Verification

Strategies of Self-Presentation II: Self-Verification

Self-verification is a fundamental psychological drive wherein individuals seek affirmation of their self-concept from others, striving for consistency between their internal self-view and external perceptions. This drive operates even when the self-concept is negative, influencing interpersonal behavior and feedback preferences in complex and often counterintuitive ways. Unlike the self-enhancement motive, which seeks positive evaluations, self-verification prioritizes coherence and...

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model

Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model

The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...

Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring

Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring

Self-monitoring is a central construct in understanding individual differences in self-presentation strategies across social contexts. It refers to how individuals observe, regulate, and control their expressive behavior and self-presentation following situational cues. Self-monitoring reflects a person's sensitivity to social appropriateness and willingness to adapt behavior to fit varying interpersonal demands.High vs. Low Self-Monitoring IndividualsIndividuals high in self-monitoring are...

Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation

Social Foundations of Self III: Self-Evaluation

Self-evaluation is the process by which individuals assess their abilities, behaviors, and characteristics based on feedback from others. Charles H. Cooley observed that a person’s self-perception is primarily influenced by how others see and judge them. He suggested that individuals form their identities based on their interpretations of others' reactions. As a result, social interactions play a crucial role in shaping self-esteem and personal identity. These external evaluations often blend...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Deciphering the dynamic influence of competing job offers on recruiters' hiring decisions.

Journal of experimental psychology. Applied·2026

Same author

On the relationship between indirect measures of Black versus White racial attitudes and discriminatory outcomes: An adversarial collaboration using a sample of White Americans.

Journal of personality and social psychology·2026

Same author

What does a <i>Z</i>-curve analysis tell us?

Cognition & emotion·2026

Same author

Prior beliefs & automated fact checking: Limits on the effectiveness of AI-based corrections.

PloS one·2026

Same author

Extended Persuasion: Elaboration Moderates Indirect Attitude Change.

Psicothema·2025

Same author

Factors Associated with Micronutrient Intake of Low-Income Overweight or Obese Young Mothers.

Critical public health·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Virtual Agent for Real-Time Motivational Interviewing by Integrating Adaptive Nonverbal Behavior and Language Models

Virtual Agent for Real-Time Motivational Interviewing by Integrating Adaptive Nonverbal Behavior and Language Models

Published on: December 23, 2025

Evaluating the message or the messenger? Implications for self-validation in persuasion.

Jason K Clark¹, Duane T Wegener, Vanessa Sawicki

¹1University of Iowa, USA.

Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin

|August 24, 2013

Summary

When evaluating a communicator, focus matters. People

Keywords:

attitude change metacognition persuasion self-validation source credibility

More Related Videos

How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling

How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling

Published on: March 3, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Virtual Agent for Real-Time Motivational Interviewing by Integrating Adaptive Nonverbal Behavior and Language Models

Virtual Agent for Real-Time Motivational Interviewing by Integrating Adaptive Nonverbal Behavior and Language Models

Published on: December 23, 2025

How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling

How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling

Published on: March 3, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

Area of Science:

Social Psychology
Communication Studies
Attitude Formation

Background:

Persuasive message source characteristics are well-researched.
Less is known about how focusing on the communicator versus the message impacts cognition validation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how focusing on the source versus the issue affects message cognition validation.
To examine the interplay between focus, argument quality, and source credibility in persuasion.

Main Methods:

Participants were assigned to focus on the source or the issue.
They processed either strong or weak message arguments.
Source credibility (low or high) was manipulated post-argument processing.

Main Results:

When focused on the source, high motivation led to greater attitude-thought consistency when argument quality matched source credibility.
When focused on the issue, high credibility consistently enhanced self-validation, irrespective of argument quality.

Conclusions:

The focus of evaluation (source vs. issue) significantly moderates how source credibility and argument quality influence persuasion.
Findings highlight the importance of communicator evaluation in understanding persuasion dynamics.