The role of prior attitudes in narrative persuasion: Evidence from a cross-national study in Germany and the United States

ABSTRACT Narrative messages are assumed to be more effective in changing recipients' attitudes than non-narrative messages. However, empirical evidence to support this assumption is sparse. We incorporated theoretical assumptions about the mechanisms of narrative persuasion into the two-step model of defensive processing to test whether narratives were more effective in changing recipients' attitudes toward legalizing marijuana for recreational use. We conducted two parallel experiments, one in Germany (N = 157) and one in the United States (N = 399). Our findings did not support the general assumption that narratives were more effective than non-narrative messages. However, prior attitudes were identified as an important unique factor in shaping recipients' transportation and identification and, in turn, the recipients' attitudes.