Sponsor
This research was funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities, or NITC, a program of TREC at Portland State University.
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
8-2017
Subjects
Sustainability, Transportation -- Environmental aspects, Sustainable development, Transportation -- Social aspects
Abstract
An experiment tested the effects of both communications about the functions of an attitude and communications about the functions of an attitude object on persuasion. Participants received a conventional message about the benefits of public transportation, a message about the benefits of positive public transportation attitudes, or a control message. Meta-arguments about the functions of attitudes led to more favorable evaluations and stronger intentions to use public transportation. These effects were moderated by the political and environmental orientation of participants. Surprisingly, the conventional message was not persuasive. The research is novel in showing that the communication of the functions of a particular attitudinal position can change attitudes. Our findings broaden the arsenal of arguments that policymakers, environmentalists, and educators can use to change attitudes toward sustainable transportation.
DOI
10.15760/trec.180
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/21195
Recommended Citation
Sanbonmatsu, David M., and David L. Strayer. Changing Attitudes Toward Sustainable Transportation: The Impact of Meta-Arguments on Persuasion. NITC-RR-801. Portland, OR: Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC), 2017. https://doi.org/10.15760/trec.180
Included in
Community Psychology Commons, Experimental Analysis of Behavior Commons, Transportation Commons
Description
This is a final report, NITC-RR-801, from the NITC program of TREC at Portland State University, and can be found online at: http://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/801