Meta-Analysis of the Persuasive Effects of Metaphorical vs. Literal Messages

This study uses meta-analysis to compare the persuasive effects of metaphorical and literal messages and assess various theoretical explanations for the relatively greater persuasiveness of metaphor. The meta-analysis includes studies from 2001 to 2015 that use various message formats and topics. Results indicate an overall effect size of r = 0.09, p < .001, 95% CI [0.06, 0.12], which supports the conclusion that metaphorical messages are more persuasive than literal messages. Moderator analyses indicate differences in effect sizes based on metaphor target familiarity, message topic, and message format. A meta-regression using the theoretical moderators indicates that message format was the strongest predictor of variation in effect size. This study provides implications related to the theoretical mechanism behind the greater persuasive effects of metaphor.     

The Persuasive Effects of Audiovisual PSAs to Promote Organ Donation: The Mediating Role of Psychological Reactance

The use of shared experiences and an accurate representation of real life situations is critical to effective speech education. This essay examines the use of role playing and principles of learning applied to the modern speech classroom.     

Exploring the Concept of Student Nagging Behavior

The purpose of this study was to identify the nagging behaviors college students report using with their instructors. One hundred and forty-four participants described instances in which they nagged instructors or instances in which they observed others nagging instructors. Students identified eight strategies for nagging instructors: the elicit student support nag, the demonstrate frustration with instructor nag, the strike a deal nag, the challenge instructor authority nag, the elicit sympathy nag, the suggest instructor incompetence nag, the flatter instructor nag, and the barrage instructor with requests nag.     

Dump-and-Chase: The Effectiveness of Persistence as a Sequential Request Compliance-Gaining Strategy

Two field experiments were performed assessing the effectiveness of the dump-and-chase, a compliance-gaining technique employing strategic persistence. These two experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the dump-and-chase relative to other known compliance-gaining techniques. Experiment 1 found the dump-and-chase more effective than pooled data from the door-in-the-face and placebic information technique. Experiment 2 found the dump-and-chase more effective than the door-in-the-face, placebic information, and foot-in-the-door. The dump-and-chase produced consistently higher compliance-gaining proportions across experiments. Moreover, because the contextual features of two experiments differed substantially, the effect was robust to important contextual differences.     

The Connection Between the Physiological and Psychological Reactions to Sexually Explicit Materials: A Literature Summary Using Meta-Analysis

The results of the investigations providing data on the connection between measures of sexual arousal and positive psychological affect indicate a positive relationship whether measured directly (r=.212) or by a comparison of manipulation check data (r=.223). Female research participants demonstrate more negative emotional responses than men exposed to the same content (r=?.248), but the level of physiological arousal favors men by a much smaller magnitude (r=.134). The response to pornography on the basis of gender reflects not only a physiological difference in reaction but a psychological interpretation of that reaction as well.     

Conversation Orientation and Conformity Orientation Are Inversely Related: A Meta-Analysis

The two central constructs of family communication patterns theory—conversation orientation and conformity orientation—have been studied in their relation to a host of outcomes. In measuring these orientations, researchers often acknowledge that the empirical relationship between the two constructs tends to be negative. A meta-analytic review was conducted (k = 32, N = 8,171) to assess the magnitude of this relationship. In addition, respondent type (i.e., child versus parent respondents) was tested as a moderator. The weighted mean effect size was –.33 (95% CI [–.35, –.31]). The findings gave preliminary evidence that the relationship was weaker for parent respondents compared to child respondents. The findings hold implications for future work, such as by suggesting certain analytic decisions.     

Facial Similarity Mitigates the Persuasive Effects of Source Bias: An Evolutionary Explanation for Kinship and Susceptibility to Influence

This research examined how the interaction between a source's facial similarity to message targets and communicated bias affects audience persuadability. We used an evolutionary explanation to hypothesize that biased sources would elicit less favorable attitudes than unbiased sources for dissimilar sources, but that this difference would be absent for similar sources. Predictions were supported by results from a 2 (facial similarity) × 2 (source bias) experiment, in which an unrecognizable percentage of participants' photographs (n = 94) was digitally morphed with a source's face to act as a kinship cue. Further, structural equation modeling demonstrated a direct effect of facial similarity on attitude independent of mediation by source liking and appraisals, providing further evidence that susceptibility to influence from facially similar sources may have evolutionary origins.     

Decision-Making Groups Attenuate the Discussion Bias in Favor of Shared Information: A Meta-Analysis

Groups often focus their discussions on information that all members know at the outset. To test how robust the sampling advantage for shared information is, a meta-analysis was conducted. The analysis integrated findings from 20 publications (45 independent effects), in which information sharedness was manipulated. Groups discussed more shared than unshared information overall. However, the observed sampling advantage was smaller than expected. Groups attenuated the discussion bias in particular when they had to choose among a small number of decision alternatives and when they had less than 30 minutes discussion time. Moreover, groups performing a hidden-profile task tended to display a smaller discussion bias than groups performing tasks with equally attractive alternatives.     

Each Medium Tells a Different Story: The Effect of Message Channel on Narrative Persuasion

Limited attention has been given to the medium of story presentation in this process of narrative persuasion. The present study (N = 243) fills this gap by directly comparing narrative involvement across print and audiovisual versions of the same cervical cancer-related story. The mediation analysis revealed that exposure to an audiovisual narrative was associated with higher levels of cognitive and emotional involvement than exposure to the exact same narrative in its printed form. Yet the higher levels of transportation in the audiovisual condition came at a price of enhancing psychological reactance, eliminating the relative advantage of the film narrative.     

Improving the Effectiveness of Fundraising Messages: The Impact of Charity Goal Attainment,Message Framing,and Evidence on Persuasion

This experimental study assessed the effectiveness of fundraising messages. Based on recent findings regarding the effects of message framing and evidence, effective fundraising messages should combine abstract, statistical information with a negative message frame and anecdotal evidence with a positive message frame. In addition, building on research into social dilemmas, it was hypothesized that information about charity goal attainment (e.g., the contributions of others) should increase donation intentions. The hypotheses were tested in a 2 (goal attainment: yes/no)×2 (framing: positive/negative)×2 (evidence: statistical/anecdotal) factorial design. Abstract information was more effective when combined with a negatively framed message, whereas anecdotal information was more effective when combined with a positive frame. In addition, donation intentions were higher for messages that addressed charity goal attainment issues.     

A Review and Meta-Analysis of Person-Centered Messages and Social Support Outcomes

Person-centered messages are a form of social support that has been theoretically and empirically linked to a variety of outcomes. Scholars would benefit by recognizing the influence of person-centered messages across a number of studies in the absence of statistical artifacts. This article reports a meta-analysis testing the association between person-centered messages and social support outcomes across 23 studies. Our results demonstrate a positive linear association between person-centeredness and actual effectiveness, and an even stronger linear relationship between person-centeredness and perceived effectiveness. The association between person-centeredness and support outcomes was attenuated in confederate-based methodologies. Moreover, the data suggest that scholars need to more precisely conceptualize and empirically assess the differences between the nine levels of the person-centered hierarchy.     

Comparing Physically Abused,Neglected, and Nonmaltreated Children During Interactions with their Parents: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

A meta-analysis of 30 observational studies compares abused, neglected, and nonmaltreated children's behavior during interactions with their parents. Drawing on the relational communication literature, children's behaviors from various coding schemes were grouped into those communicating positivity (e.g., affection, approval), aversiveness (e.g., anger, resistance), and involvement (e.g., attention, interest). Results reveal that abused and neglected children are distinguished from nonmaltreated children on all three behavioral clusters, with overall mean weighted effect sizes ranging from d=.29 to .55. Several moderators qualify the magnitude though not the direction of these differences, including maltreatment type, child/parent age, and observation length and setting. These findings have implications for understanding the etiology and outcomes of child maltreatment as well as for intervention and prevention efforts.     

Setting the agenda for environmental news: The effects of media and public characteristics

This study examined the relationship between different media agendas and public agendas in the agenda‐setting process. The local and regional media agendas for environmental news in the Lansing, Michigan, area were exactly the same. It was also found that respondents could accurately assess media issue emphasis when they were asked to do so.     

Young Voter Perceptions of Political Satire as Persuasion: A Focus on Perceived Influence,Persuasive Intent,and Message Strength

This study focuses on the perceived effectiveness of political satire. A pair of experimental studies using original satirical works offer findings for audience perceptions regarding two types of satire, juvenalian and horatian, compared to traditional opinion-editorial argumentation. The two studies produced replicable findings that indicate clear perceptions of persuasive intent associated with both types of satire, and horatian satire ranking lower than traditional opinion-editorials in perceived message strength and perceived influence on self.     

The Research of James C. McCroskey: A Personal and Professional Remembrance

James C. McCroskey passed away on December 27, 2012. He contributed immensely to the study of human communication. He led the field in in-field publications and citations. Perhaps his most lasting contribution is naming and measuring communication constructs. James C. McCroskey contributed substantially to Communication Research Reports as a past editor, editorial board member, and contributing author. This essay is a personal and professional remembrance of James C. McCroskey.     

The Effects of Metaphor Use and Message Format on Cognitive Processing and Persuasive Outcomes of Condom Promotion Messages

The potential of pictorial and verbal metaphors to gain attention and enhance persuasion is considerable. Few scholars, however, have investigated the persuasive effects of metaphor in health messages. We applied a 2 × 2 factorial experiment to examine the effects of metaphor use (metaphor/literal) and message format (verbal/pictorial) on cognitive processing and persuasive outcomes of condom promotion messages. Results showed no significant differences in cognitive processing according to metaphor or format, but there were differences in attitudes and behavioral intentions according to metaphor and format, with literal and verbal messages performing best. Potential explanations for findings and implications for future research and health message design are discussed.     

The Suasory Force of Sticky Messages: An Application to the Application of Sunscreen

Stickiness refers to the set of persuasive message properties: simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, and stories (SUCCES). Heath and Heath (2007) argue that a sticky message is expected to be more memorable and hence more persuasive than a non-sticky message. A 2 (sticky v. non-sticky message) x 3 (pretest v. posttest v. delayed test) longitudinal experiment is employed to examine the persuasiveness of sticky messages on applying sunscreen. Results of a mixed model analysis of variance show that the sticky message produces attitudes and behaviors more favorable to the message recommendation than the non-sticky message. Specifically, a time × message induction non-additive effect was found, which sustained only in the sticky message condition across time. Despite this interesting effect, its explanation remains elusive.     

The Third-Person Effect: A Meta-Analysis of the Perceptual Hypothesis

In this study, we report the results of a meta-analysis concerning the third-person effect's perceptual hypothesis. The hypothesis predicts that people judge the media to exert greater persuasive influence on other people than on themselves. Thirty-two published and unpublished studies with 121 separate effect sizes were examined. The overall effect size between estimated media effects on self and on others was r = .50. Among the 8 moderators investigated (source, method, sampling, respondent, country, desirability, medium, and message), 3 (sampling, respondent, and message) yielded significant effect size variations. Third-person perception in nonrandom and college student samples was significantly larger than in random and noncollege student samples. From a theoretical perspective, these findings may have been due to student participants perceiving themselves to be smarter than other people. A more disturbing explanation would attribute these findings to researchers relying on student samples.