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Token Reinforcement and Selective Exposure to Persuasion.

Elliott McGinnies1, Richard Wellins1, Rose Rolando O'Neal1

  • 1a The American University.

The Journal of Social Psychology
|January 31, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Token reinforcement effectively shaped listening preferences for persuasive messages in undergraduates. Participants reinforced for positive arguments listened longer to related messages, demonstrating selective exposure.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Communication Studies

Background:

  • Selective exposure to persuasive messages is influenced by various factors.
  • Understanding how reinforcement impacts message preference is crucial for communication strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effectiveness of token reinforcement in shaping listening preferences for persuasive messages.
  • To determine if reinforcement influences selective exposure to arguments.

Main Methods:

  • 54 undergraduates were presented with persuasive messages and received token reinforcers for choosing specific arguments.
  • Participants' awareness of the reinforcement contingency was assessed.
  • Listening time to messages containing reinforced arguments was compared between reinforced and nonreinforced groups.

Main Results:

  • Reinforcement effectively conditioned preferences for positive arguments but not for negative ones.
  • Participants unaware of the manipulation listened longer to messages aligned with previously reinforced arguments.
  • Awareness of the reinforcement contingency did not guarantee conditioning for all participants.

Conclusions:

  • Token reinforcement can effectively determine selective exposure to persuasive messages under certain conditions.
  • Behavioral conditioning principles can be applied to influence audience engagement with specific content.
  • Further research is needed to explore the nuances of reinforcement in shaping communication preferences.