Social Judgment Theory predicts how successfully a message will persuade someone based on how closely the message aligns with their existing beliefs. It is used mainly by ego-involved people, who have strong opinions and are either closed-minded or open to changing their views. The theory is important because judgments and opinions influence many aspects of life. Persuasion can work by exposing people to new information that changes their views on a topic.
2. What is it???
Social Judgment Theory
predicts successful
persuasion by a message
depending on how the
message is related to a
person’s current beliefs.
3. Who uses it???
The main type of people that use Social
Judgment Theory are ego-involved people.
There are two different types of ego-
involved, high and low. High ego involved
people are more close minded and low ego-
involved people are more accepting.
High ego-
involved
Low Ego-
Involved
4. Why is it important???
Social Judgment Theory is important because it
is involved in every aspect of life. It is the reason
people say, believe, and do the things they do.
5. A situation where Social
Judgment Theory would
be used is asking
someone what they
think about gun control.
Someone who has
grown up around guns
and found no harm in
them might not feel the
need for gun laws.
6. Persuasion is important in Social Judgment Theory because
people can be persuaded to change their judgment in certain
situations. Someone against gun control might listen to a speech
by someone for it, learn things they did not know, and be
persuaded to change their beliefs.
7. Critics have found that
Social Judgment Theory is
more successful in low ego-
involved people because
they are more willing to be
persuaded. It is hard to
persuade a person who is
highly ego-involved,
therefore it is a lengthy
process to measure the
success of persuasion in
this theory.
8. The act of persuasion is the main focus in this
theory. If someone can persuade someone to
change their judgment, that is a success in Social
Judgment Theory!
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