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Generating arguments when feeling ambivalent: examining attitude-message congruency.

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Title: Generating arguments when feeling ambivalent: examining attitude-message congruency.
Authors: Sawicki, Vanessa (AUTHOR), Luttrell, Andrew (AUTHOR)
Source: Self & Identity. Apr2026, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p309-326. 18p.
Subjects: Ambivalence, Attitude (Psychology), Attitude-behavior consistency, Persuasion (Rhetoric), Persuasion (Psychology), Attribution (Social psychology), Attitude change (Psychology)
Abstract: Although a large literature has examined factors that determine how people's attitudes change in the face of existing persuasive messages, less is known about how attitudes guide the production of such messages. This research examines whether ambivalence moderates the degree to which people produce persuasive messages in line with their own attitudes. Prior research on attitude strength would suggest that ambivalence undermines the influence of one's attitude on the message they produce. However, feeling conflicted could motivate people to reduce ambivalence, potentially by producing more attitude-congruent messages. Across two studies, we found that the effects of ambivalence on attitude-message congruency depended on the target of persuasion. When persuading others, people tended to produce more attitude-congruent messages when they experience relatively little ambivalence. This effect of ambivalence, however, was attenuated when people focused on convincing themselves. In Study 2, we also found evidence that these effects on attitude-message congruency in turn predicted people's attitude clarity, but not correctness, after writing a message. Implications of these findings for attitude strength models are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Self & Identity is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Generating arguments when feeling ambivalent: examining attitude-message congruency.
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sawicki%2C+Vanessa%22">Sawicki, Vanessa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Luttrell%2C+Andrew%22">Luttrell, Andrew</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Self+%26+Identity%22">Self & Identity</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p309-326. 18p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ambivalence%22">Ambivalence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude-behavior+consistency%22">Attitude-behavior consistency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Persuasion+%28Rhetoric%29%22">Persuasion (Rhetoric)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Persuasion+%28Psychology%29%22">Persuasion (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attribution+%28Social+psychology%29%22">Attribution (Social psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+change+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude change (Psychology)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Although a large literature has examined factors that determine how people's attitudes change in the face of existing persuasive messages, less is known about how attitudes guide the production of such messages. This research examines whether ambivalence moderates the degree to which people produce persuasive messages in line with their own attitudes. Prior research on attitude strength would suggest that ambivalence undermines the influence of one's attitude on the message they produce. However, feeling conflicted could motivate people to reduce ambivalence, potentially by producing more attitude-congruent messages. Across two studies, we found that the effects of ambivalence on attitude-message congruency depended on the target of persuasion. When persuading others, people tended to produce more attitude-congruent messages when they experience relatively little ambivalence. This effect of ambivalence, however, was attenuated when people focused on convincing themselves. In Study 2, we also found evidence that these effects on attitude-message congruency in turn predicted people's attitude clarity, but not correctness, after writing a message. Implications of these findings for attitude strength models are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Self & Identity is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192729170
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/15298868.2025.2579634
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 309
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Ambivalence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude-behavior consistency
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Persuasion (Rhetoric)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Persuasion (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attribution (Social psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude change (Psychology)
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Generating arguments when feeling ambivalent: examining attitude-message congruency.
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            NameFull: Sawicki, Vanessa
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            NameFull: Luttrell, Andrew
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            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: Apr2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Self & Identity
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