Conversion Conundrums: Listener Perceptions of Affective Influence Attempts as Mediated by Personality and Individual Differences

Abstract

The study of religious conversion messages is currently an unexplored facet in interpersonal communication and social-cognition research. This study focused on the affective, intellectual, and cognitive needs of potential converts in reference to their attitudes and responses toward ministers utilizing the conversion appeals of fear and comfort. Eighty-nine participants, representing different levels of perceived personal relevance, religiosity (High Religiosity, Low Religiosity, Fundamentalism), familiarity with the type of appeal being made, and High/Low need for cognition were given a religious sermon to view, followed by various response and mood instruments. Results found familiarity with the message type to be a mediating factor of perceived speaker credibility and level of perceived influence, but not necessarily in reference to level of religious grouping. Possible explanations for these findings and applicability of the influence of emotional persuasion in religious conversion sermons were discussed.