An Experimental Examination of Students’ Attitudes Toward Classroom Cell Phone Policies

Abstract

This study examined the manipulation of instructors’ persuasive messages to introduce classroom cell phone policies to college students. Guided by Chaiken's (1980, 1987) heuristic-systematic model, we predicted significant differences in students’ systematic message processing and favorable attitudes held toward a cell phone policy based on the number of arguments presented and involvement (i.e., motivation). Using a 2 (number of arguments: high; low) × 2 (involvement: high; low) experimental design, 101 undergraduate students participated by watching a video-recorded persuasive message about a hypothetical cell phone policy. Results indicated that participants did not differ significantly in systematic or heuristic message processing based on the assigned condition but held more favorable attitudes toward the cell phone policy when assigned to the lower number of arguments condition.

Keywords:

• Attitudes
• Cell Phone Policies
• Heuristic-Systematic Model
• Message Processing
• Persuasion

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexander L. Lancaster

Alexander L. Lancaster (MA, California State University, Long Beach, 2012) is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University.

Alan K. Goodboy

Alan K. Goodboy (PhD, West Virginia University, 2007) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University.