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When Objective Ambivalence Predicts Subjective Ambivalence: An Affect-Cognition Matching Perspective
Wei Jie Reiner Ng1, Ya Hui Michelle See1, Laura E Wallace2
1National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Message-topic orientation matching enhances attitude ambivalence correspondence. This occurs when affective or cognitive message elements align with topic orientation, especially for counterattitudinal messages, bridging objective and subjective ambivalence gaps.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Attitude Research
- Communication Studies
Background:
- Ambivalence, characterized by conflicting positive and negative evaluations, is crucial for understanding attitude-behavior consistency.
- A weak relationship exists between objective ambivalence (conflicting reactions) and subjective ambivalence (feeling conflicted).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how message-topic orientation matching influences the correspondence between objective and subjective ambivalence.
- To explore the role of affective versus cognitive orientation in this matching process.
Main Methods:
- Five experimental studies were conducted to test the hypothesis.
- Participants' objective and subjective ambivalence were measured in relation to message-topic orientation.
- The influence of affective-cognitive message-topic matches, particularly for counterattitudinal messages, was examined.
Main Results:
- A greater correspondence between objective and subjective ambivalence was observed when there was an affective-cognitive match between message and topic orientation.
- This effect was more pronounced when the message was counterattitudinal (Studies 4 and 5).
Conclusions:
- Message-topic orientation matching can explain the discrepancy between objective and subjective ambivalence measures.
- This research highlights how message characteristics can modulate attitude strength properties and ambivalence experiences.
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