Persuasion and Attitude Change

An attitude is a learned, stable, and relatively enduring evaluation of a person, object or idea that can influence an individual's behavior. However, sometimes individuals' attitudes on particular issues change through two main processes: persuasion and cognitive consistency. Persuasion, or any attempt to change an attitude or behavior naturally varies in form depending on the individual and the situation in which it takes place. Therefore it is best classified through three basic approaches: the central, peripheral, and memory routes to persuasion. Cognitive Consistency, the second m…