Public speakers who heed the principle of social judgment theory know that the best chance of changing audience attitudes toward a topic would be to present an argument that sets ___________ goals for the audience to change.
A) ambitious
B) realistic
C) aspiring
D) engaging

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to social judgment theory, people have preexisting attitudes towards different topics, which are categorized into three types: latitude of acceptance, latitude of rejection, and latitude of non-commitment. When crafting persuasive messages, it is best to appeal to the audience's latitude of acceptance, which means presenting an argument that falls within the range of attitudes they already hold. Therefore, setting realistic goals for the audience to change their attitudes toward a topic is the most effective approach. Ambitious or aspiring goals may fall outside the audience's latitude of acceptance, leading them to reject the message altogether, while engaging goals do not necessarily imply a change in attitude.

Public Speakers Who Heed the Principle of Social Judgment Theory