Social Judgement Theory
General Purpose:
The general purpose is to explain how someone’s attitude is cognitively structured.
Specific Purpose:
The specific purpose of this theory is to explain why people judge new ideas.
Key terms, concepts, and definitions:
The three different ways of judging new ideas include the latitudes of acceptance, rejection and noncommitment. Noncommitment means that the idea is neither accepted nor rejected. When people believe messages are further from their latitude of acceptance than they actually are it is called contrast. The opposite effect, when people believe messages are closer to their latitude of acceptance than they actually are is called assimilation. Another important concept for this theory is the idea of ego-involvement, which describes how important the issue is to the person.
What does the theory do?
The theory explains why people are persuaded by certain ideas and how it is possible to change attitudes so that arguments will fall into the person’s latitude of acceptance.
Where can it be applied?
The theory can be used in persuasion, so a persuader can attempt to tailor arguments to fall into one’s latitude of acceptance.
Summary source:
Sherif, C. W., Kelly, M., Rodgers Jr., H. L., Sarup, G., Tittler, B. I. (1973). Personal involvement,
social judgment, and action. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 27(3), 311-328.
Exemplar article:
Bikektine, A. (2011). Toward a theory of social judgments of organizations: The case of
legitimacy, reputation, and status. Academy of Management Review, 36(1), 151-179. doi:
10.5465/AMR.2011.55662572
The general purpose is to explain how someone’s attitude is cognitively structured.
Specific Purpose:
The specific purpose of this theory is to explain why people judge new ideas.
Key terms, concepts, and definitions:
The three different ways of judging new ideas include the latitudes of acceptance, rejection and noncommitment. Noncommitment means that the idea is neither accepted nor rejected. When people believe messages are further from their latitude of acceptance than they actually are it is called contrast. The opposite effect, when people believe messages are closer to their latitude of acceptance than they actually are is called assimilation. Another important concept for this theory is the idea of ego-involvement, which describes how important the issue is to the person.
What does the theory do?
The theory explains why people are persuaded by certain ideas and how it is possible to change attitudes so that arguments will fall into the person’s latitude of acceptance.
Where can it be applied?
The theory can be used in persuasion, so a persuader can attempt to tailor arguments to fall into one’s latitude of acceptance.
Summary source:
Sherif, C. W., Kelly, M., Rodgers Jr., H. L., Sarup, G., Tittler, B. I. (1973). Personal involvement,
social judgment, and action. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 27(3), 311-328.
Exemplar article:
Bikektine, A. (2011). Toward a theory of social judgments of organizations: The case of
legitimacy, reputation, and status. Academy of Management Review, 36(1), 151-179. doi:
10.5465/AMR.2011.55662572