ABSTRACT

Persuasion is an intraperson process prompted by external influences (Perloff, 2003). These influences are created and disseminated as messages by both professional and lay persuaders. The messages, in turn, involve symbolic manipulations and rational appeals that are designed to affect freely chosen attitudes and behavior. Once received, these manipulations and appeals are processed either heuristically or systematically (Chaiken, 1980, 1987; Petty & Cacioppo, 1986).