Modeling the ego-defensive function of attitudes

Authors: Knight Lapinski M.¹; Boster F.²

Source: Communication Monographs, Volume 68, Number 3, September 2001 , pp. 314-324(11)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Studying the psychological needs served by holding certain attitudes is the focus of the functional approach to attitudinal research. One function evidenced consistently in attitudinal studies is the ego-defensive function. Attitudes serving an ego-defensive function protect one's self-concept from counterattitudinal messages about the self. This paper presents an alternative perspective for understanding the ego-defensive function by conceiving and modeling it as a causal process. The data were consistent with a hypothesized model in which a message threatening to a salient aspect of self-concept, as opposed to a non-threatening message, initiates ego-defensiveness resulting in more negative message-related thoughts, discounting message content, and source derogation. Source derogation was related negatively to conformity to message recommendations. These findings suggest a new way of thinking about the ego-defensive function and the ways in which people respond to counterattitudinal information about an issue on which they are highly ego-involved.

Keywords: Ego-Defense

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03637750128062

Affiliations: 1: Department of Communication at Western Michigan University 2: Department of Communication at Michigan State University

Publication date: 2001-09-01