A Reconceptualization of the Permanence of Attitude Change

Summary Two levels of audience, commitment, choice, and time were varied in a 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 repeated measures factorial design in an attempt to examine the effects of these variables on attitude change both inside and outside the laboratory. Commitment and choice had no effect on attitude change. Time had a significant effect (p < .001), with a large amount of change occurring immediately after the experimental manipulation and very little change occurring three weeks later. Audience and time also produced a significant interaction (p < .01), with a large amount of attitude change occurring in the audience condition immediately after the manipulation and very little change three weeks later. In the no audience condition some attitude change occurred immediately after the manipulation, but little change remained three weeks later. These findings were interpreted within the framework of Katz's classic conception of an attitude, and it was argued that pressure on the conative dimension of an attitude was not...