The Role of Arousal in Commitment: An Explanation for the Number of Counterarguments

Abstract

This article identifies arousal as the motivating variable that helps high commitment consumers generate more counterarguments resulting in resistance to attitude change. Two studies examine the role of arousal on high and low commitment participants. In the first study, arousal is externally manipulated, and the effects of increased arousal are examined for high and low commitment participants. In study 2, the effect of sufficient versus insufficient elaboration on a message is examined in the context of arousal reduction. The relationship between the two types of arousal—tense and energy—is also examined.