Social Judgment Theory explains how people process messages based on their existing attitudes. People have a "latitude of acceptance" for messages that are similar to their own views, a "latitude of rejection" for those that differ greatly, and a middle "noncommitment" area. For highly important issues, the rejection area is wider and emotions run higher. When processing messages, people may contrast those in the rejection area, pushing views further apart, or assimilate those in the acceptance area, blurring conflicts. Attitude change happens most within the acceptance area near existing views through small, repeated steps over time.
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