The Emergence of Source-Message Orientation as a Communication Variable

Abstract

In two experiments, persons were classified as source-oriented, intermediate, or message-oriented by a bipolar test Results of both experiments supported the prediction that source likability would increase attitude change more for source-oriented than for message-oriented persons. In Experiment I, the additional prediction that message informativeness would increase attitude change more for message-oriented than for source-oriented persons was supported only when the source was likable, when the source was unlikable, the results were reversed. In Experiment II, source expertness yielded no differences; however, its manipulation apparently was weak. Intermediate-oriented persons tended to respond in source-oriented ways to source variables and in message-oriented ways to message variables, indicating a need to conceptualize source-message orientation as a two-dimensional variable.