A Difference of Opinion

On attitudes—and why people resist changing them

Andrew Luttrell Ph.D., Jake Teeny Ph.D.

The 7 Best Tactics to Persuade the Vaccine-Hesitant

As the U.S. approaches its July 4 vaccination goal, here are the best tactics from behavioral research to help persuade those who remain vaccine-hesitant.

One of the Most Contagious and Dangerous Attitude Biases

One of the most dangerous cognitive biases is something we all hold to some degree. However, recent research highlights how this bias can be amplified by the presence of others.

Getting People to Care About Economic Inequality

Wealth inequality in the U.S. is vast, but talking about it makes people defensive. New studies find that shifting attention away from upper-class privilege is more persuasive.

To Be a Great Gift Giver, Do These 3 Things

Gift giving is one of the most important yet tricky aspects of social life. Here are three simple ways to ensure your gifts are talked about for years to come.

To Be Persuasive, Make Just Three Claims

Ads are most persuasive when they make just three claims. Marketing research shows that people grow more skeptical when an ad makes more.

Can Stories Be Persuasive?

New research also shows that our impressions of a communicator depend on whether they tell stories.

How Much Is Your Presidential Preference Your Own?

Even if you are uniformly positive or negative toward a political candidate, you might still feel mixed or torn about your preference. Why might this be?

How Building Trust Can Save Lives

Attempts to combat Ebola in West Africa were thwarted by widespread distrust of government. But one campaign managed to promote public health by building trust and accountability.

Our Biggest Blind Spot

Could one of your strongest held opinions also be one you had no idea you held? And how might it influence your perception of the world around you?

Why Do Some People Still Oppose Facemasks?

Why has the mask-wearing debate continued this long? Why do people continue to resist wearing one? Here's what can you do to better understand and convince others.

The Strength of Moralized Opinions

What happens when people connect their opinions to their core moral beliefs and convictions? Research finds that these moralized opinions can be especially difficult to change.

How Can You Believe That?

It can be difficult to understand why others choose to believe what they do. But one of the first obstacles to understanding is your assumption that they "chose" their beliefs.

Why Persuasion Is Personal: The Neuroscience of Influence

What kinds of messages change a person's mind? New research in neuroscience peers into people's brains as they read or watch advertisements.

Consequences and Causes of Riots

The protests against police brutality have received much scrutiny. How do one's own opinions toward the movement shape how they perceive the protests?

People Conveniently Forget What Makes Products Unethical

When people learn that a product has unethical qualities, they're more likely to forget those details than if they'd learned about one that's ethically sound.

Strong Opinions, Weak Proof

You might be surprised to find that some of our strongest opinions are held without many strong arguments in support of them.

How Can We Convince People to Be Healthy?

When it comes to convincing people to adopt healthy behaviors, is it better to focus on the behavior's benefits or the dangers of not adopting that behavior?

Too Anxious to Keep Quiet

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our daily behaviors more than we could have imagined. But how might it also be affecting our opinions on things and how much we talk about them?

Can New Rules Shape Public Opinion?

You might think you have to change people's opinions to change their behavior. But sometimes rules that affect people's behavior directly can ultimately reshape their opinions.

Two Simple Strategies for Persuading Others

Have you struggled in trying to persuade others? Do people seem to dig in their heels when you present an opposing viewpoint? Check out these two simple persuasion tricks.

How "Party Cues" Can Influence Political Opinions

Regardless of what the policies actually are, liberals tend to support policies endorsed by Democrats, and conservatives tend to support policies endorsed by Republicans.

How Do Framing Effects Impact Your Political Behavior?

Although it may not seem like much, a simple shift in how you think about your preferences can have significant impact on your political attitudes and behaviors.

Do Americans Divide Themselves by Ideology?

Pundits talk a lot about "liberal" and "conservative" views, but do people actually organize their opinions this way? National surveys probe the role of ideology in everyday life.

Making Stronger New Year's Resolutions

Have you previously struggled to make your New Year's resolutions last? Well, learn about the science of attitude strength to help ensure your 2020 resolutions are here come 2021.

Quick Opinions Are Strong Opinions

How quickly people are able to give their opinions says a lot about how influential those opinions are and how difficult they are to change.

Strong Opinions

Why do people do what they do? To understand that, you first have to understand their opinions, particularly, their strong ones.