Social Judgment Theory

Social Judgment Theory
Name
Institution
Summary of the Social Judgment Theory
Social judgment theory can be described as a communication model. It tries to explain when a persuasive communication is most likely to result into a change of perspective. The theory outlines the conditions under which the changes take place and then predicts the direction and extent of the change of attitude (Hovland, Carl, Sherif, Muzafer 1961, qtd in Littlejohn & 2008, p. 73).
The chief point of the social judgment theory is that a judgmental process achieves attitude change. Eventually, persuasion occurs where a person understands the message and compare with the person’s opinion on the given issue. A person's position is influenced by the person‘s most preferred position, i.e. the person's ego on the prevailing circumstances. The attitude scale is pre-set in the human mind before receiving the persuasive message and is composed of three divisions (Dainton & Zelley, 2010, p. 105). These divisions include: latitude of acceptance, latitude of non-commitment, and latitude of rejection. The latitude of acceptance is the range of positions a person is ready to agree or accept. Latitude of non-commitment contains a range of ideas and opinions indifferent to the person's mindset. Latitude of rejection is where all ideas and opinions in this area are the ones that the individual finds unacceptable. A greater degree of rejection latitude makes the individual more involved in the issue and hence the harder it is to persuade that individual (Dainton & Zelley, 2010, p. 105).
Artifact describing the theory:  HYPERLINK "/watch?v=dMHzXNtocEQ" /watch?v=dMHzXNtocEQ
The artifact is about different people responding to the same situation involving a club that has allowed eighteen year olds to attend. The cartoon video is used to illustrate the current issue and some explanations given about the relationship with the theory. The situation is about a club known as Price Wells that has decided to start allowing eighteen year olds into the bar.
The artifact illustrates a teenage, freshman girl convincing a boy to go to 'Price Wells Club’ since they are allowing eighteen year olds in the bar now. The boy thinks it is awesome and even suggests letting all the other freshmen know so that they may check it out. A third girl over hears them and seconds the idea to go to ‘Price Wells Club’.
Two grownups are also discussing the topic of going to Price Wells with young girls being allowed. One of the men rejects the idea saying it is annoying to go to that place. He suggests that they go to another club where teenage people are not allowed, an implication that they have rejected the idea of allowing teenagers to the club.
The third part involves a teenage girl, who calls her older sister and informs her about Price Wells. Her sister is with friends and tells them about the club allowing eighteen year olds in now. They talk about how they used to go to Price Wells when they were in college. The other lady in the scene says how she wishes it was eighteen years old and up when they were in college. One of guys says it does not matter to them because they do not go to that bar anymore because they are no longer in college. The new rule of Price Wells does not affect them so they do not have an opinion on the situation.
The first case precisely describes the latitude of acceptance i.e. the range of ideas a person finds reasonable for consideration. Notably, all the three teenagers see it reasonable to go to the club. The second case describes the latitude of rejection i.e. the range of ideas a person finds unreasonable or objectionable. In this case, the two men disagree with the decision of the club to allow teenagers. The last case describes the latitude of no commitment i.e. the range of ideas that a person sees neither acceptable nor objectionable (the three adults agree with the issue, but they cannot go there since they are overage).
Connection between the artifact and the theory:
The artifact is closely related with the theory since all the respondents have preconceived knowledge of the situation. In the artifact, the people have the choice of attending the club or not with its new rule about eighteen year olds being allowed in. The first scene displays latitude of acceptance because the three freshmen think it is acceptable for them to go to the bar. In the second scene we see two adult college students discussing the bars new rule. They display latitude of rejection because they do not want to the teenagers to be allowed in the bar. They reject the idea so much that they decide to go to another bar that does not let teenagers in. The third scene shows adults who are no longer in college discussing the bar’s new rule. Since they no longer go to the bar, they have no preference. This scene displays the latitude of non-commitment (Sherif, Sherif, Nebergall, 1995).
Another theory that relates to this artifact:
This scenario can be illustrated by Egon Brunswik probabilistic functionalism. In essence, the theory stipulates a fact that the immediate environment determines perceptions, yet they are not certain. Instead, these s...