Perswazyjne skutki wieloznaczności przekazu: polaryzacja czy depolaryzacja postaw?

Paweł Koniak , Wojciech Cwalina

Abstract

Persuasive effects of message ambiguity: Attitude polarization or depolarization?​ The use of an ambiguous message by a public speaker can be regarded as a strategy that increases thenumber of those who agree with the message content. The use of ambiguity may also have other persuasiveeffects. The aim of the paper is to test in what circumstances ambiguous messages may lead to the depolarizationof receivers’ attitudes. The paper presents results of three experiments that show that depolarizationis more likely when the speaker is credible and his or her audience supports the issue in question.Depolarization is also possible when the message is incompatible with the receivers’ attitudes. In such casethe receivers try to produce counterarguments but when the message is ambiguous they typically agree withits content.