Question

Which of the following is true of the effects of the source of a message on consumer attitudes?

1) The persuasive effect of source likeability is more on consumers with a high need for cognition than on those with a low degree of this trait.
2) The persuasive effect of source credibility tends to be highest when consumers lack the motivation to expend effort attending to the details of an ad.
3) The credibility of the source of a message does not have any impact on the certainty with which consumer attitudes are held.
4) Consumers with high involvement are not affected by the credibility of the source of a message.

Answer 1

The most accurate statement regarding 3. the effects of the source of a message on consumer attitudes is that the persuasive effect of source credibility tends to be highest when consumers lack the motivation

Step-by-step explanation:

Impact of Message Source on Consumer Attitudes

The effects of the source of a message on consumer attitudes can be understood in terms of several psychological theories and models. Past research such as that by Hovland and colleagues emphasizes the role of the source's credibility and physical attractiveness in determining persuasiveness. Credible sources who are perceived as trustworthy and have expertise tend to be more persuasive than less credible sources. Similarly, physically attractive sources can have a more significant persuasive impact. This has been leveraged in advertising through the use of celebrities. Additionally, the Elaboration Likelihood Model describes two routes to persuasion: central and peripheral. The central route involves the use of facts and information to persuade, while the peripheral route involves cues such as attractiveness or fame.

Regarding the student's specific question about the effects of the message source on consumer attitudes:

1. The likeability of a source is not necessarily more persuasive to consumers with a higher need for cognition, contrary to the first claim.
2. Source credibility tends to have the highest persuasive effect when consumers are not motivated to pay close attention to an ad's details, which aligns with the student's second option.
3. Source credibility does impact the certainty with which consumer attitudes are held, challenging the third option.
4. The fourth claim that consumers with high involvement are not affected by the credibility of the source is not entirely accurate, as even those consumers can be influenced by source credibility under certain conditions.

To summarize the accurate statements:

• The persuasive effect of source credibility is greater when consumers are not motivated to engage with ad details.