Traditional racism is held by people who still oppose programs designed to reduce the social and economic inequalities between ethnic groups, such a school busing and affirmative action. Define persuasion and attitudes and list the four elements in the persuasion process. Persuasion is the communication of arguments and information intended to change another person's attitudes. Attitudes are beliefs and feelings about people, objects, and ideas. Discuss credibility and likability and give some examples of these source factors.
Persuasion tends to be more successful when the source has high credibility .
Either expertise or trustworthiness give a person credibility. People try to convey their expertise by mentioning their degrees, their training, and their experience, or by showing an impressive grasp of the issue at hand. Expertise is a plus, but trustworthiness is even more important. Likability also increases the effectiveness of a persuasive source. Likability depends on a person's physical attractiveness.