Effects of arousal and credibility on learning and persuasion

Abstract

This study explored the joint effects of extraneous arousal and communicator credibility on acceptance and learning of a persuasive communication. Ss listened to a taped speech under either average volume (low arousal) or very high volume (high arousal). The speaker was either high or low in credibility. Males and females reacted very differently to the situation. Females were more persuaded under low arousal than under high arousal, but there were no differences for males. Credibility had no effect. An unusual learning effect emerged. There was a Credibility by Arousal interaction that had the same form for both sexes. The attitude results were given a dissonance interpretation.