Persuasive message effects via activated and modified belief clusters: toward a general theory

Abstract This article proposes a general theory of persuasive message effects based on four sets of arguments. The first set commits to theorizing that focuses on specifying causal order and the explanatory principle driving that order. The second set makes the case that specifying a complex causal order among a series of cognitions is unjustifiable in many cases. The third set contends that many cognitions in the persuasion process can be conceptually treated as distinct beliefs within a network. The fourth and final set theorizes that persuasive message effects occur via the activation and modification of belief clusters. This article works through these arguments in detail and then provides examples of how this framework could be implemented to guide theorizing about persuasive message effects.