TY  - JOUR
AU  - Dibbets, Pauline 
AU  - Adolphs, Laura 
AU  - Close, Ingeborg 
AU  - Herings, Anke 
AU  - Kiggen, Maiken 
AU  - Kinneging, Maaike 
AU  - Loffler, Leonie 
AU  - Nijssen, Yonne 
AU  - Schulte-Ostermann, Michel 
AU  - Schaaik, Patrick Van 
PY  - 2012
TI  - Reversal of Attitude: The Influence of Counter-Attitudinal Information
JF  - Journal of Social Sciences
VL  - 8
IS  - 3
DO  - 10.3844/jssp.2012.390.396
UR  - https://thescipub.com/abstract/jssp.2012.390.396
AB  - Problem statement: Research has shown that both positive and negative information can alter a neutral attitude towards an unknown person, with negative information having, in general, a larger impact. Though this positive-negative asymmetry has received considerable attention, it has, to our knowledge, not been tested in more current and powerful social media, such as youtube. Although attitudes are not fixed, literature on the reversal of a recently established attitude by providing counter-attitudinal information is sparse. Therefore, the main aims of the present study were to examine  positve-negative asymmetry in attitude formation using youtube fragments and to test the permanence of the establihed attitude by providing counter-attitudinal information. Approach: A total of 89 persons received either a positively (P) or a negatively (N) valued youtube fragment concerning a neutral target person. Subsequently, half of each group received positive written information (groups PP and NP) regarding the target person; the other half received negative written information (groups PN and NN). Results: The results indicate that it is indeed possible to change a neutral attitude using youtube fragments, with a larger attitude change after negative than positive material. Textual information reversed this attitude, with an equal effect for positive and negative information. Conclusion/Recommendations: It is possible to quickly change an attitude towards a neutral person using youtube fragments, this formed attitude can easily be reversed by providing textual counter-attitudinal information. These findings can contribute to gaining a better understanding of the effect of modern social media on attitude formation and its transiency.