Date of Award

1-1-1969

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Problem: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation of Dogmatism to amount and persistence of opinion change induced by active versus passive participation.

Procedure: Initial measures of Dogmatism and opinions concerning two selected issues were obtained from University of North Dakota undergraduates. Females who scored within one standard deviation of the mean opinion score of at least one of the issues and who rated that issue as salient were retained for experimental treatment.

Treatment occurred eleven weeks later and consisted of either reading (Passive Induction) a persuasive communication concerning the relevant issue or improvising and writing (Active Induction) a persuasive communication concerning the relevant issue. An immediate post-treatment opinionnaire was given, followed in two weeks by a third.

Results and Conclusions: The results of this study supported the following general conclusions:

1. Significant amounts of immediate, congruent opinion change occurred over both Induction Methods.

2. There was a definite trend, including several significant differences, for the Passive Induction Method to effect more change than the Active Induction Method.

3. However, there was a definite trend, including several significant differences, for the Passively induced scores to regress toward pre-treatment levels; for scores Actively induced, there was no such trend.

4. There was a trend, including a significant difference, for the greater amount of change to occur in relation to the less salient issue.

5. Dogmatism appears not to be related to amount of persistence of change induced by persuasive communications.

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