Counterargument availability and the effects of message structure on persuasion

Found that an attempt to increase persuasion among forewarned Ss by acknowledging counterarguments early in the message led to an unexpected but significant reversal of the prediction in an experiment with 39 male and 45 female undergraduates. Exp. II with 134 Ss replicated the reversal and located the cause in the portion of the message that had been designed to acknowledge the counterarguments, but that could be more accurately characterized as an inadequate refutation. Results suggest that, while an explicit refutation or a simple acknowledgement of counterarguments possessed by a message recipient may increase persuasion, an inadequate refutation of counterarguments may strengthen cognitive defenses and reduce persuasion. Exp. III with 150 Ss supported the original predictions as well as an extension of the hypotheses to include 1-sided messages. When Ss were provided with counterargument defenses on a novel issue, acknowledging counterarguments at the beginning of the communication elicited more persuasion than acknowledging them last or not mentioning them at all. When Ss were not provided with counterarguments, the ordering of conditions in terms of persuasive impact was reversed. Results suggest that the ability of the audience to counterargue and variations of the message structure which influence counterarguing activity may be important determinants of a communicator's position. (22 ref.)