Current theories of persuasion & resistance
,Inhoudsopgave§
Week 1:......................................................................................................... 3
The importance of resistance to persuasion...................................................................3
The reflexive game: How target and agent persuasion knowledge influence advertising
persuasion...................................................................................................................... 7
Reynolds-Tylus, T. (2019). Psychological reactance and persuasive health
communication: A review of the literature. Frontiers in Communication, 4, 56 (read
pp.1-4).......................................................................................................................... 13
Hoorcollege 1: 02-09-2025........................................................................................... 15
Week 2:....................................................................................................... 25
Examination of Psychological Processes Underlying Resistance to Persuasion
(Ahluwalia, 2000).......................................................................................................... 25
Strategies and Motives for Resistance to Persuasion: An Integrative Framework
(Fransen, Smit & Verlegh, 2015)...................................................................................29
Defensive Reactions to Threatening Health Messages: Alternative Structures and Next
Questions (Dillard, Meczkowski & Yang, 2018).............................................................32
Hoorcollege 2:............................................................................................................... 35
Week 3:....................................................................................................... 42
Hoorcollege 3: 16-09-2025........................................................................................... 42
Reducing meat consumption through default nudging: a field study (Ardesch et al.,
2025)............................................................................................................................ 49
A typology of consumer strategies for resisting advertising, and a review of
mechanisms for countering them” (Fransen, Verlegh, Kirmani & Smit, 2015)..............54
Psychological Reactance and Persuasive Health Communication: A Review of the
Literature” (Tobias Reynolds-Tylus, 2019)....................................................................58
Week 4:....................................................................................................... 62
Uncertainty and inoculation: Instilling resistance to anti-vaccination conspiracy
propaganda van Bessarabova & Banas (2024).............................................................62
Seeing through the ad? An investigation of persuasion awareness, coping mechanisms,
and credibility for targeted political advertisements (Jansen, Meier & Krämer, 2025). .66
Hoorcollege week 4:..................................................................................................... 69
Week 5:....................................................................................................... 78
“How Do I Carry All This Now? Understanding Consumer Resistance to Sustainability
Interventions” van Gonzalez-Arcos et al. (2021)...........................................................78
The i-frame and the s-frame: How focusing on individual-level solutions has led
behavioral public policy astray van Nick Chater & George Loewenstein (2023)...........81
Hoorcollege 5:............................................................................................................... 84
Week 6:....................................................................................................... 91
Cook, S. (2021, July). How can sustainable marketing help fight overconsumption?....91
Choice Without Awareness: Ethical and Policy Implications of Defaults van N. Craig
Smith, Daniel G. Goldstein en Eric J. Johnson (2013).....................................................94
, Hoorcollege 6: ethics of persuasive appeals.................................................................99
Week 7: responsie......................................................................................103
Week 1:
The importance of resistance to persuasion.
Meanings of Psychological Resistance
Noncompliance with instructions (Newman, 2002)
Reactance against restricted choices (Brehm, 1966)
Unwillingness to gain insight into thoughts/feelings (Messer, 2002)
Avoidance of unpleasant or dangerous feelings (Perls et al., 1951)
Ambivalence about change (Arkowitz, 2002)
Core idea: resistance = reaction against change
Behavioral aspect = visible opposition
Motivational aspect = inner force or capacity
Resistance to Persuasion
Seen in daily life: ignoring, smirking, “Well, maybe, but...”
Appears when pressure for change is present
McGuire (1964):
Defined resistance as the ability to withstand persuasive attacks
Considered it a potential, not always active
Resistance can be strengthened by:
o Inoculation: preparing counterarguments
o Bolstering: reinforcing one’s own beliefs
McGuire: resistance = trainable ability
Sagarin & Cialdini:
Found an extra effect:
o Training people to resist illegitimate sources →
→ makes them more open to legitimate persuasion
Sagarin & Cialdini: resistance training protects against bad influence but
increases receptiveness to good influence
Dual Definition of Resistance
Outcome definition = not being moved by persuasion (no change
or even a boomerang effect).
Motivational definition = inner desire/motivation to oppose
pressure to change.
Link: motivation often leads to outcome, but not always.
, No change = persuasion attempt fails.
Boomerang effect = person shifts in the opposite direction.
Question: are both resistance?
Johnson et al. → treat boomerang separately from “no change.”
Motivation to oppose does not always = visible resistance. Can still affect
other reactions (Wegener, Petty, etc.).
One model of attitude structure distinguishes three components: affective,
cognitive, and behavioral. This tripartite model applies to resistance as
well. “I don’t like it!”, “I don’t believe it!”, and “I won’t do it!” are the
affective, cognitive, and behavioral components of resistance,
respectively.
Affective: “I don’t like it!” (emotional rejection)
Cognitive: “I don’t believe it!” (counterarguing, skepticism)
Behavioral: “I won’t do it!” (noncompliance)
Research focus varies:
Behavioral: compliance studies (Quinn & Wood, Johnson et al.)
Cognitive: counterarguing, evaluation (Haugtvedt et al., Sherman et
al.)
Affective: preference changes (Knowles & Linn, Jacks & O’Brien)
Person-based (internal):
Stable trait or attitude → resistance “waiting” to be triggered (Briñol,
Rucker, Tormala, Petty).
Situation-based (external / reactance):
Brehm (1966): resistance triggered by threats to freedom.
Reactance = motivational state caused by external pressure →
increases desire for the forbidden option.
Reactance Theory (Brehm)
Trigger: external threat to freedom of choice.
Outcomes: oppositional emotions/behaviors (liking the forbidden
more, acting against restrictions).
Strength depends on:
1. Freedoms threatened → more important/more numerous
freedoms → stronger reactance.
2. Nature of threat → arbitrary/blatant/direct demands →
stronger reactance than subtle/legitimate ones.
Fragile effect:
o Weak threats = little/no reactance.
o Very strong threats = may overpower resistance.
,Inhoudsopgave§
Week 1:......................................................................................................... 3
The importance of resistance to persuasion...................................................................3
The reflexive game: How target and agent persuasion knowledge influence advertising
persuasion...................................................................................................................... 7
Reynolds-Tylus, T. (2019). Psychological reactance and persuasive health
communication: A review of the literature. Frontiers in Communication, 4, 56 (read
pp.1-4).......................................................................................................................... 13
Hoorcollege 1: 02-09-2025........................................................................................... 15
Week 2:....................................................................................................... 25
Examination of Psychological Processes Underlying Resistance to Persuasion
(Ahluwalia, 2000).......................................................................................................... 25
Strategies and Motives for Resistance to Persuasion: An Integrative Framework
(Fransen, Smit & Verlegh, 2015)...................................................................................29
Defensive Reactions to Threatening Health Messages: Alternative Structures and Next
Questions (Dillard, Meczkowski & Yang, 2018).............................................................32
Hoorcollege 2:............................................................................................................... 35
Week 3:....................................................................................................... 42
Hoorcollege 3: 16-09-2025........................................................................................... 42
Reducing meat consumption through default nudging: a field study (Ardesch et al.,
2025)............................................................................................................................ 49
A typology of consumer strategies for resisting advertising, and a review of
mechanisms for countering them” (Fransen, Verlegh, Kirmani & Smit, 2015)..............54
Psychological Reactance and Persuasive Health Communication: A Review of the
Literature” (Tobias Reynolds-Tylus, 2019)....................................................................58
Week 4:....................................................................................................... 62
Uncertainty and inoculation: Instilling resistance to anti-vaccination conspiracy
propaganda van Bessarabova & Banas (2024).............................................................62
Seeing through the ad? An investigation of persuasion awareness, coping mechanisms,
and credibility for targeted political advertisements (Jansen, Meier & Krämer, 2025). .66
Hoorcollege week 4:..................................................................................................... 69
Week 5:....................................................................................................... 78
“How Do I Carry All This Now? Understanding Consumer Resistance to Sustainability
Interventions” van Gonzalez-Arcos et al. (2021)...........................................................78
The i-frame and the s-frame: How focusing on individual-level solutions has led
behavioral public policy astray van Nick Chater & George Loewenstein (2023)...........81
Hoorcollege 5:............................................................................................................... 84
Week 6:....................................................................................................... 91
Cook, S. (2021, July). How can sustainable marketing help fight overconsumption?....91
Choice Without Awareness: Ethical and Policy Implications of Defaults van N. Craig
Smith, Daniel G. Goldstein en Eric J. Johnson (2013).....................................................94
, Hoorcollege 6: ethics of persuasive appeals.................................................................99
Week 7: responsie......................................................................................103
Week 1:
The importance of resistance to persuasion.
Meanings of Psychological Resistance
Noncompliance with instructions (Newman, 2002)
Reactance against restricted choices (Brehm, 1966)
Unwillingness to gain insight into thoughts/feelings (Messer, 2002)
Avoidance of unpleasant or dangerous feelings (Perls et al., 1951)
Ambivalence about change (Arkowitz, 2002)
Core idea: resistance = reaction against change
Behavioral aspect = visible opposition
Motivational aspect = inner force or capacity
Resistance to Persuasion
Seen in daily life: ignoring, smirking, “Well, maybe, but...”
Appears when pressure for change is present
McGuire (1964):
Defined resistance as the ability to withstand persuasive attacks
Considered it a potential, not always active
Resistance can be strengthened by:
o Inoculation: preparing counterarguments
o Bolstering: reinforcing one’s own beliefs
McGuire: resistance = trainable ability
Sagarin & Cialdini:
Found an extra effect:
o Training people to resist illegitimate sources →
→ makes them more open to legitimate persuasion
Sagarin & Cialdini: resistance training protects against bad influence but
increases receptiveness to good influence
Dual Definition of Resistance
Outcome definition = not being moved by persuasion (no change
or even a boomerang effect).
Motivational definition = inner desire/motivation to oppose
pressure to change.
Link: motivation often leads to outcome, but not always.
, No change = persuasion attempt fails.
Boomerang effect = person shifts in the opposite direction.
Question: are both resistance?
Johnson et al. → treat boomerang separately from “no change.”
Motivation to oppose does not always = visible resistance. Can still affect
other reactions (Wegener, Petty, etc.).
One model of attitude structure distinguishes three components: affective,
cognitive, and behavioral. This tripartite model applies to resistance as
well. “I don’t like it!”, “I don’t believe it!”, and “I won’t do it!” are the
affective, cognitive, and behavioral components of resistance,
respectively.
Affective: “I don’t like it!” (emotional rejection)
Cognitive: “I don’t believe it!” (counterarguing, skepticism)
Behavioral: “I won’t do it!” (noncompliance)
Research focus varies:
Behavioral: compliance studies (Quinn & Wood, Johnson et al.)
Cognitive: counterarguing, evaluation (Haugtvedt et al., Sherman et
al.)
Affective: preference changes (Knowles & Linn, Jacks & O’Brien)
Person-based (internal):
Stable trait or attitude → resistance “waiting” to be triggered (Briñol,
Rucker, Tormala, Petty).
Situation-based (external / reactance):
Brehm (1966): resistance triggered by threats to freedom.
Reactance = motivational state caused by external pressure →
increases desire for the forbidden option.
Reactance Theory (Brehm)
Trigger: external threat to freedom of choice.
Outcomes: oppositional emotions/behaviors (liking the forbidden
more, acting against restrictions).
Strength depends on:
1. Freedoms threatened → more important/more numerous
freedoms → stronger reactance.
2. Nature of threat → arbitrary/blatant/direct demands →
stronger reactance than subtle/legitimate ones.
Fragile effect:
o Weak threats = little/no reactance.
o Very strong threats = may overpower resistance.
