Persuasion in the era of distrust : the influence of evidence transparency and AI-assistance
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This study had two primary objectives: (1) to identify effective persuasive message strategies that reduce audience resistance stemming from distrust and preexisting biases, and (2) to examine the persuasive influence of author attribution. A between-subjects experiment (N = 1,435) employing a 2 (evidence type: demonstrative vs. testimonial) x 2 (author attribution: AI vs. human) plus a control condition design, evaluated persuasive effectiveness regarding climate change impacts in Miami. Drawing on the concept of evidence transparency, the research distinguishes demonstrative evidence, characterized by high transparency and detailed explanations of scientific processes, from testimonial evidence, characterized by lower transparency and reliance primarily on expert authority. Results indicated that demonstrative evidence significantly increased message acceptance compared to testimonial evidence, although it did not similarly enhance policy support. Author attribution (AI vs. human) alone showed no direct persuasive effects. However, mediation analyses revealed underlying mechanisms. Specifically, demonstrative evidence primarily enhanced persuasion by reducing perceptions of threat to freedom. Additionally, while author attribution had no direct impact, human-attributed articles indirectly improved persuasive outcomes by enhancing perceived message credibility. Overall, these findings highlight that demonstrative evidence, emphasizing transparent and detailed explanations of scientific methodology, is recommended as an effective strategy to improve persuasive outcomes, particularly among audiences characterized by distrust and skepticism.
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Ph. D