Attribute degree centrality and attribute tie strength as criteria of argument quality

ABSTRACT

Persuasion research involves identifying speaker, message, and receiver factors that influence persuasiveness. Based on Probabilistic Persuasion Theory (PPT), two experiments tested whether attribute degree centrality and attribute tie strength affect persuasion in decision making contexts. A semantic network learning task was used to experimentally manipulate both attribute dimensions in receivers' semantic networks. Participants received arguments with attributes varying in degree centrality and tie strength. In Experiment 1 (N = 48), both attribute dimensions affected choice behavior. Experiment 2 (N = 168) increased the tie strength manipulation and replicated the tie strength effect on choice. Across both experiments, degree centrality and tie strength yielded additional effects on perceived argument quality and source credibility but did not affect choice confidence or latencies.

KEYWORDS:

• Attribute degree centrality
• attribute tie strength
• semantic network
• source credibility
• argument quality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Tillman Russell (Ph.D., Purdue University) is an assistant professor of Communication at Georgia State University. His current research focuses on the relationship between communication and cognition with a specific emphasis on how and why different message features affect persuasion and social influence.

Torsten Reimer (Ph.D., Free University of Berlin) is a professor of Communication and Psychology and Director of the Communication and Cognition Lab at Purdue University. The lab employs psychological methods to test theories about communication and decision making in individuals, social groups, and organizations.