Communicator Attractiveness Versus Similarity In Persuasion

Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to investigate circumstances under which an attractive but non-similar communicator will be more persuasive than a similar but non-attractive communicator and circumstances under which a similar but non-attractive communicator will be more persuasive than an attractive but non-similar communicator. In the context of a study of memory for ads, female college students listened to an advertisement, after having received information that the speaker of the advertisement was either an attractive African-American male or a similar female student. The speaker described the product as something everyone needs, something everyone would like, something you need, or something you would like. Participants then indicated their attitude toward the product and rated characteristics of the speaker. It was found that when the product was described as something for everyone, participants liked the product more than when it was described as something for you (the listener).